


What Zoro didn't know

by robinelli



Series: Zosan ABO [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alpha Roronoa Zoro, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fingering, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Oblivious Roronoa Zoro, Omega Sanji, Oral Sex, Possessive Zoro, Supportive straw hats, Unusual reproductive biology
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-08-06 23:35:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16397234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinelli/pseuds/robinelli
Summary: Sanji is an Omega.Zoro is the last to know.





	1. Have you heard the good news?

**Author's Note:**

> Here comes the self indulgence train!
> 
> I have serious trouble resisting Omega verse fics so I thought I might add my own take.
> 
> Rules are this:  
> Male Omegas and female alphas exist but are very rare and although they can biologically take both roles in breeding (and have both sets of necessary equipment) are not as well suited to the opposite gender's role. Meaning male omegas can get pregnant but also that they have an even shittier time of it than regular women or omega women. Alpha women in turn can produce viable sperm, but are less potent than regular men or alpha men.
> 
> The interest in alpha women and Omega men thus mostly comes down to their rareness as well as the ability to have biological offspring with gay alpha men and omega women.

All of this had to be a massive fucking joke.

No seriously, his crew had to be shitting him.

Zoro was sure of it. This had to be some stupid prank the cook had thought up. 

It had to be because there was no way, no way in fucking hell that blackleg Sanji was comfortably sitting at the galley table and discussing his plans for his next fucking heat with the crew sitting attentively and not fucking surprised in the least.

It couldn't be because Sanji was obviously an Alpha. A territorial, mate hungry, competitive, manly man Alpha. And Alphas didn't go into heats.

Omegas went into heats and Sanji couldn't be an Omega because then Zoro might just lose his fucking mind. 

And yet the cook was sitting there, organizing the meal plan for the next few days when he would be in town, apparently riding out his heat

His tone when he explained that they would have to feed themselves for a few days was apologetic, but firm, no sign of even discomfort or disclosing a secret.

"I'm sorry everyone, usually I manage to time coming off the suppressants better, but Chopper said it's really getting necessary, and this island seems safe. I'll prepare everything I can to make it easier on the lovely Nami and Robin, who so graciously offered to take care of it. And the rest of you shitheads better be helping the ladies too." He glowered at the men before fixing his stare to their captain "Except you, you are banned from the kitchen except for meals" Then he glared at Zoro himself "And if I find even one glas of booze missing I'll kick your ass though your mouth." 

He snorted "You can try curly." He said, enjoying the twitch in Sanji's temple, distracted for a moment from the fact that Sanji was a fucking omega.

The distraction didn't last long because the cook got up and promptly started on preparations while everyone else filed out to do their own thing. 

Zoro followed behind the others still confused and annoyed. How was he the only one not to know?

"Swordsman-san?" 

Oh great. Robin. He looked at the tall woman who smiled at him weirdly and grunted at her in acknowledgement.

"You seem bothered. Is there anything you'd like to talk about?" Still that smile. Stupid knowing expression.

"Nah, it's nothing." He grumbled and made to move past her.

Of course that would have been too easy. "Are you sure? I wouldn't have taken you for the type to care that someone is an omega."

He stopped dead in his tracks to glare at her, trying to read what her deal was. As usual her face didn't give anything away and he gave up with a groan.

"Fine you wanna talk, talk." 

She smiled sweetly and waved for him to follow her.  
He trudged after her to the aquarium lounge where they were alone and stood with his arms crossed while the woman settled into the loveseat with her usual lethal grace. 

" So swordsman-san, I couldn't help but notice that our little meeting seems to have upset you. May I ask why?" Her tone was conversational, but her eyes were calculating

"'M not upset" he grumbled and scratched his neck, hesitating. Robin knew things. Maybe she could explain.

"How did all of you know?"

The twinkle in her eye was annoying. "That our dear cook has more than one way to become a parent?" 

He cringed at her way of phrasing that. 

"Well, Chopper is his doctor, he even makes the supressants, so he would know. Usopp found the pills once when he was looking for something spicy. I think Nami suspected him because he would always disappear for 3 or so days during our victory celebrations, when he knew everyone was taken care of, then she just asked him. Captain -san is a very observant alpha so he probably smelled it through the surpressants. Skeleton-san used to have an Omega crewmate and spotted the signs and Franky once saw our cook in quite the compromising position and quite clearly halfway into his heat in a bar."

She smiled at him sweetly. "I don't think it ever really was a secret or that he kept it from you on purpose."

He just about kept himself from growling at the patronising tone. Then he noticed something "How did you know?" He asked suspicion in his voice.

"Why swordsman-san,"she started still with that sweet smile "that knowledge would be quite personal. Let's just say where Franky saw the beginning I was there for the end" 

Great. Sanji was an Omega and Robin was a pervert spying on the cook in heat. Great.

"I assure you my motivations were not so low as you think." She answered his thoughts with a slight laugh in her voice. "I have not had many Omega friends in the past. And you hear things about heats.. well I just wanted to make sure that everything was above board."

Make sure that he wasn't being taken advantage off, was what she meant. Zoro nodded. That was fair.

"Although it was quite the spectacle." The woman added thoughtfully and suddenly fixed Zoro with her sharp eyes "He is quite the attractive Omega." 

It was a test. And judging from the heat creeping up his neck he was failing it. "Wouldn't know." He tried to dismiss her line of thought.

But this was Robin. Robin was not so easily distracted. "Are you sure? His lithe form is quite pleasing in itself and I seem to recall that that kind of silhouette is especially priced among Alpha's in search of a mate."

The heat was creeping further up and he didn't know what to say. 

"He is also an excellent cook and very caring, intelligent too." He could feel her eyes scanning him and did his best not to react further. "I guess some alpha's might mind the attitude. But those that don't should find a great mate in him."

Zoro mussed his hair in frustration and sat down heavily in the sofa opposite Robin. "What is your fucking deal today?" He finally asked with a glare.

She studied him for a moment, all graceful lines and plump curves that did absolutely nothing for him. "It bothers you that you didn't know." She stated instead of answering. He glared harder then leaned back with crossed arms.

"I just don't know how I missed that. Should have smelled it." If Luffy could do it, so should he.

"Does it really matter?" Robin pressed again and Zoro asked himself if it did.

He was attracted to Sanji. A lot. He had thought Sanji was a straight Alpha. He wouldn't have stood a chance. Suddenly Sanji was an Omega. An Omega that might be attracted to all Alphas regardless of primary gender. Now his chances were better. That was good right? So did it matter? 

His fists clenched. It didn't matter what Sanji was.

"Nah." He answered Robin's question but his fist wouldn't unclench. Because it didn't matter what Sanji was. Except he was going out tonight. Going into heat soon and obviously not planing on riding it out alone.

"But you don't like the implications." She voiced for him, her eyes compassionate. And she was right. About everything. Sanji was attractive, too attractive. And going into heat soon. Had had multiple heats in the years they had travelled together which he hadn't spent alone. All of that without Zoro ever suspecting a thing.

It was such a bullshit feeling to have but he felt rage well up in him at the thought of not being the first to get there. Then annoyance at not getting there at all.

"Shit." Zoro just said. He really didn't want Sanji out there, sleeping with someone else. And now that he knew it was probably another Alpha, very likely a male one he just wanted to explode and kill that fucker.

Sanji wouldn't appreciate that however, he was sure. But maybe he could talk to the cook. It would be fucking uncomfortable, but as it was now their relationship was going to be uncomfortable anyway until Zoro sorted it out.

He stood up abruptly nodded towards Robin in a vague show of thanks before he stalked off to find the cook. Robin's smile following him all the way out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure what happened. But I do know that I like Robin.
> 
> Next chapter a Marimo speaks with a chef. And maybe the author gets her ass in gear and starts the main show.


	2. Sexually Risky Behaviour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know that that would affect him so much

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha! 
> 
> It did go somewhere and I am something close to satisfied with it!
> 
> Hope you enjoy this little trip on the self-indulgence train. :)

Zoro stomped straight into the galley, barely noticing the sharpshooter that stepped out and lightly bumped into him but didn't seem to really take note either.

Inside, the cook was already sitting at the table, two glasses and a bottle of wine in front of him. Good, a slight buzz might make this conversation less awkward. 

He sat down in the chair opposite the cook who was following him with his blue eye and his stupid curly brow raised. "We need to talk cook." He said with finality and grabbed the bottle of wine, pouring himself a glass.

The cook made a face "I would have gotten you a clean glass, you neanderthal." He said, prissy as ever.

Zoro just smirked at the cook's bothered expression and drank the stuff down. Not bad but not really strong enough either. "Nah this is fine, could get some stronger booze, though."

Sanji looked like he had a few even more prissy things to say. Then he did, lecturing Zoro on the wine and hygiene and something or other about manners. The swordsman tuned out most of it.

"..y am I even expecting better? This is YOU we are talking about after all!" Damn cook didn't look like he was about to stop.

"Calm your tits cook, that's not what I came here for." He interrupted and watched the blond bristle.

"Fine then, get to it, as you know I have plans for tonight." Sanji said and if that wasn't the perfect introduction to Zoro's whole problem.

"About that..." Zoro started and stopped at once because of Sanji's disbelieving look. "Please don't tell me I have to give _you_ the talk too, Marimo."

"The hell are you talking about?" Zoro asked but the cook just leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Nevermind. What 'about that'?" 

Weird, Zoro thought but didn't dwell, they were finally on topic. "What are you actually going to do tonight?" He asked, knowing full well that he wasn't exactly being subtle here.

Sanji looked at him, blinked, looked some more and Zoro could feel heat rising in his neck. "Did you just actually ask me that? What do you care?" The cook asked, every inch of him wary.

"Just answer the question, cook." Zoro almost growled.

Sanji's stupid eye brow was knitted over his eye and he was chewing his lip, obviously debating whether to answer Zoro. "Isn't it obvious? I'm going to go to town, look for someone to spend my heat with, spend it and get back." He offered finally, a pretty clinical version, not at all like the rather vivid pictures in Zoro's mind, but no less enraging for some reason.

"Isn't that kinda risky?" Zoro asked gruffly, getting to his real point, except not really. The cook stared at him in disbelief and took a long swallow of the wine still in his glass.

"I think I am too sober for this", he said "What the hell do you care? I've been handling this for years, where's the problem now?"

Zoro would like to answer that honestly, really but then he would have to admit that he wasn't in the know until earlier today, and that was just embarassing. 

But apparently he didn't have to say anything because realisation dawned on the cook's face. "You didn't know?" His voice was weirdly pitched and his visible eye was wide in disbelief. 

Zoro was certain that he was red enough in the face that he didn't need to give an answer. 

"You're an Alpha, how did you not know? I've been in pre-heat on this ship half a dozen times and we sleep in the same fucking room!" Well that might explain his very irregular, very intense jerking off session that seemed to never really get him off completely. Damn pheromones. 

The cook had gotten up now and was pacing, ruffling his own hair in a show of stress. "No seriously, how did you not know?" 

Zoro would like to know that too. "You never said anything, it never was important, so I didn't bother thinking about it." He defended hinself. That was only half true but to Zoro it was close enough.

"Well now that you do know it seems important enough, with you bothering to come here to talk about it. What's that all about?" Sanji asked suspicion back in full force.

"Told you, I think it sounds risky." Zoro repeated the comfortable lie.

"Think I can't handle myself Marimo?" The cook asked, danger in his voice. This was good, angry Sanji he could deal with. 

He could provoke a fight and maybe he could dislocate something and the cook would stay on the ship to heal. 

He felt instantly ashamed for thinking something so vile and violent and frankly abusive. And yet he couldn't stop himself.

"I think you won't want to, soon as you are bending over for some alpha." He said, a calculated move to get Sanji to lash out.

He felt the rush of suceeding almost at once when Sanji was moving towards him in a flash no doubt to kick his teeth in, but Zoro was ready to block that particular deadly leg.

Except he didn't need to, because there was no kick, just Sanji leaning dangerously into his personal space, deep voice just a rumble.

"What do you take me for, you fucking algae? You think I'm some random alpha's bitch that bends over and lifts their ass on command for anyone?" Zoro grabbed the arm rests of the chair, this close the smell was unmistakable even if Zoro had never smelled it before. Sanji was without a doubt an Omega well into pre-heat, and paired with those words in that voice... The swordsman could feel his puls rise and his control slip.  
And yet the cook was still coming closer, settling his hands on Zoro's shoulders in a bruising grip and breathing against his ear making his earrings jingle and his body shake.  
"Well let me tell you, you fucking primitive brute: No fucking Alpha just bends _me_ over. I give _them_ the fucking time of their life" he almost hissed into Zoro's ear but then stilled for a moment, sniffing slightly along Zoro's pulse. 

Shit. So close he was sure to smell Zoro's arousal and the thought alone send a wave of pure want through the swordsman who held on to the arm rests for dear life, making them creak in protest.

The cook leaned back very slowly as if in a haze "But that's not it at all is it?" He asked voice calmer and deeper, eyes closed and nose still twitching. 

Fuck. If there ever was a moment for Zoro to panic it was now, but he was glued to the spot.

When Sanji opened his eyes Zoro could see the iris on the visible one had almost disappeared behind the widening pupil. A smirk that was at once incredibly smug and sexy was stealing on the cook's face and he took on an almost predatory look. "You aren't worried." he purred, "You are jealous." how he could still have a sparkle in his eye, Zoro didn't know. And right then he honestly didn't give a damn

"You want to be my _Alpha_ , don't you? Want me to call you that too, right? My Alpha..."

Sanji breathed the words along Zoro's chin and again there was that unbelievably amazing smell of arousal that drove the swordsman wild. And in that moment, at those words, something in Zoro finally snapped and free broke a voice hollering 'Oh hell yes!' over all his potential objections.

His view tunneled, his sense of smell was all taken up with the delicious heat scent in front of him, all the sound in his ears either just rushing or a replay of Sanji calling him his Alpha. All the signs were there, this Omega, _the cook_ wanted him too, and he would make damn sure his mate was nothing less than perfectly satisfied. 

The next moment everything was all wrong, pain shot through his hands, a sickening creak and crunch on either side of him, the enticing scent suddenly ripped from him and when he looked up the cook was pressed against the door, breathing shallowly, eyes blown wide in what looked like both panic and arousal, with a quite noticable erection. When he looked down at his hands he saw them littered with splinters from where he had literally broken the arm rests with his bare hands.

He looked up again at the cook, to signal he was fine, that they could go on, but the blond didn't seem to agree. Instead he carded his hands through his golden hair like he always did when he was stressed and looked at Zoro with an expression the swordsman was quickly learning to hate.

"Fuck! Sorry, I'm so sorry Zoro, I'll get Chopper!" The blond stammered out, obviously still stressed for no fucking reason at all and Zoro wanted to tell him that he didn't need to do that, that all he needed was for Sanji to get the fuck back in his lap. But the words wouldn't come and Zoro just groaned in longing and frustration and reached his hand out. 

But before he could do anything else Sanji was out of the door and his sudden absence felt like someone had ripped half the world from Zoro and left him to wallow in the pathetic remains. The feeling was more than just painful, like burning up from the inside until blissful darkness swallowed all of the swordsman's conciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> A great big thank you to anyone who has left kudos or commented so far. It really does mean the world to me.
> 
> Now I have a question about this story: I have a few chapters bouncing around in my head that are not from Zoro's PoV but will mostly deal with Sanji and the other crewmembers hashing things out that Zoro wouldn't be interested in. 
> 
> For instance the conversation that Sanji had with Usopp prior to this chapter.  
> Knowing me those chapters are likely to have a lot of exposition and background info. 
> 
> Now the question is if there is any interest in reading that kind of thing at all?
> 
> If there is I would have to decide whether to post these chapters here or in their own stories as part of a series.
> 
> Some input on those questions would be nice, but even if you don't have anything to add thank you so much for reading and maybe even dropping me a Kudos. :)
> 
> Byee!


	3. Doctor, give me the news

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know that fact would put him in the sick bay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kind reviews and suggestions on the last chapter.
> 
> Everyone that commented really helped me work through what I'd like to do with the background in this story. :)
> 
> And now, please enjoy!

When Zoro woke up he instantly knew that something wasn't right. 

For one his head felt like he had gotten drunk as hell, but he didn't remember doing anything that fun in weeks. For the other he recognised the smell of disinfectant, which meant he was in the infirmery, which meant he was hurt. But he didn't remember something as fun as a fight either.

He opened his eyes with a groan and looked around blearily.

A blob of orange was sitting at his bed. Nami. Great. She looked up from her magazine and seemed actually concerned.

"You are awake. That's good." She said with relief. "How are you feeling?"

He groaned and tried to parse the question. "Like shit. What happened?"

Hesitation flitted over her face. "You passed out. Chopper will tell you more."

"Passed out? Why?" He asked and realised that he could hardly move at all. And what was that feeling that he had to be somewhere urgently?

Before the woman could answer the door opened and the tapping of little hoofs announced the arrival of their doctor. 

Chopper was quickly at his side and looked him over. "You woke up pretty quickly. Do you still feel sluggish?" 

Zoro grumbled "Can't really move if that is what you mean." 

The little doctor nodded curtly. "That's normal. I had to sedate you." While Zoro was still working through that information chopper turned to Nami. "Thank you for watching him. I'll need to talk to him, so you can go now."

The navigator nodded and threw one last glance at the swordsman before hurrying out.

"Sedate? Why would you do that?" Zoro asked with a growl.

Chopper looked at him firmly. "You went into bonding shock." He said in his best doctor voice. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zoro growled through the feeling tugging at his senses that he had forgotten something pertinent.

Chopper busied himself with checking over Zoro's hands which were bandaged "It means you had an extrem reaction to Sanji's pre-heat. Your body couldn't handle the sudden influx of hormones and shut down."

Pre- heat? SANJI! Fuck, the cook, the heat, the fucking lucky random bastard that would get their hands on his Omega! It was all coming back to Zoro and he strained against the sluggish feeling, but it was useless.

"Zoro, calm down! You can't move yet. I'm sorry that I had to put you under, but you would have hurt yourself!." The doctor shrieked in his panicked little voice but for once Zoro didn't give a damn.

"I'm going to hurt YOU, if you don't let me go at once. I need to get to the cook NOW." He growled menacingly.

Unfortunately the doctor wasn't so easily cowed. "You broke the arm rests of a kitchen chair with your bare hands, then passed out. You are going nowhere until the pheromones wear off." He said with finality. 

What a crock of shit. "Please, let me go! I need to stop that damn bastard before he.." He couldn't even say it, it just hurt too damn much.

Chopper looked at him with sympathy in his big brown eyes. "I know it doesn't feel that way now, but that is your hormones speaking. I already put you on surpressants so the cravings should stop soon."

Zoro growled once more. Hormones? Bullshit! He finally knew what he wanted. And that person was going out and probably already riding out his fucking heat on some other Alpha's dick.

"Damn Chopper, please! At least someone go and stop him!" He wasn't begging. It was a perfectly reasonable demand to make.

"Zoro. It's okay. Sanji can handle himself." Chopper tried to sooth, but didn't understand that that wasn't the damn problem.

"I don't give a flying fuck. I don't want him out there, I want him HERE." He didn't even care that he sounded like a petulant child. All he knew was that exhaustion was passing over him, even though he had just been unconcious for a good while.

Instead of finally getting his ass in gear and getting their wayward cook back Chopper just petted Zoro's hand with his hoof until blackness swallowed him again.

When he woke up next Chopper was standing at his desk, grinding some plants into a paste. He looked down at his hands that were still bandaged, looked out of the window and saw that it was getting dark out.

Fuck. He thought, because now the cook was certainly in someone's bed. The thought was more resigned than rage filled however and he swung his legs out of the bed.

Of course their little doctor was on him in a flash, fussing and checking him over. "Okay... Do you remember what happened?" He asked carefully and Zoro turned his head away in shame. "We talked, he got close, seems like I lost control."

Chopper looked at him thoughtfully then cleared his throat. "I realise that this is a very personal question, but are you very inexperienced sexually?" There it was again, Chopper's very best professionel doctor's voice.

"Nah wouldn't say that. It's not any priority of mine but I've had sex before. Why?" He raised an eyebrow at the small reindeer.

"Well, you see, what happened to you usually only happens to Alphas that have just presented. You know, those that haven't had contact with Omega pheromones yet. Has something like that happened to you before?" The doctor asked and Zoro leaned back against his pillow.

"Nah, but that stiill explains it. Never been that close to an Omega." He said and fought down the shiver at the thought of Sanji's voice at his ear.

Chopper looked at him confused "But you just said..?"

"Yeah, I've fucked people, just not Omegas." Zoro felt himself get impatient. "Male ones are not exactly common." He grumbled for clarification. 

Chopper blinked for a second before there was realisation. "Oh." He just said. "That does explain it." He added after a pause.

"Can I go now?" Zoro asked and started to get up in the same moment. Chopper didn't stop him, just nodded once and got back to his work. When Zoro was almost out the door he seemed to remember something "Sanji said to tell you that he is sorry for what happened. And that he left a snack for you in the fridge. Nami has the key." 

Fat lot of good that damn apology was to him, and of course Nami would have the key. He thanked Chopper anyway and went off to find the navigator.

He didn't have to go far, since the red head was coming his way anyway and judging from her suprised expression to come see him. 

"Hey you feeling better?" She asked.

He wanted to answer that hell no, he didn't. He fucking hated everything about this situation. But that would be whining, and Zoro didn't do whining.

"Yeah, kinda. Bit hungry, you got the key?" He said instead and Nami nodded and walked ahead for him to follow. She was unusually quiet he noted.

"Something the matter with you?" He asked and watched her look at him from the corner of her eye.

"Not really, no." She said "It's just that you gave all of us a bit of a scare."

He didn't know what to answer to that. So he was silent.

They walked to the kitchen together which Nami unlocked, blissfully unbothered by rubbery hands which meant their captain was in town exploring 

In the fridge Zoro found his snack and felt his heart jump. Onigiri, perfect, perfect onigiri and a bottle of good beer. No frills and bells, just his favourites in a practical arrangement with a card attached: 

'For Zoro, I'm sorry.  
Sanji'

In the cooks stupidly neat handwriting. 

Zoro wanted to kill someone. He didn't want a sorry, he wanted the cook. And he fucking didn't want a sorry card on what might be a perfectly good wooing gift under different circumstances.

He took the plate from the fridge, grabbed the beer and anihilated the perfect food and drink, getting more and more irrationally pissed that the lovingly prepared snack was nothing more than an expression of guilt. Guilt over something Zoro now knew he fucking craved to happen.

When he was finished, with his stomach satisfied but his emotions a mess, he looked at Nami who was quietly reading a book, apparently waiting for him.

And then he had the idea.

"Oi Nami" she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. "My portion of all treasure for this year if you help me find and stop the damn cook."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup. There it is. Hope you enjoyed :)


	4. Not for love or money (well, maybe for love)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega 
> 
> Zoro didn't know how that fact would change Nami's priorities drastically

Nami stared at the swordsman like she had never seen him before.

Frankly it was making him a bit defensive. That was an offer she usually would take after all.

"What?" he asked in irritation when she wouldn't stop staring.

The woman leaned back and crossed her arms in front of her, still looking at him with that unnerving expression. "One, you already owe me more treasure than we usually find in a year." She said lifting her hand with one finger extended. "Two I doubt that I would be much help in that endevour." A second finger extended "And three: are you out of your fucking mind!?" He almost jumped when she slammed the palm of her hand on the table in front of her.

She was still looking at him with that expression between anger and disbelief but then her expression softened. Somehow he didn't really like that either. "You are a bit, aren't you?" She asked and he honestly didn't know what to say.

"He listens to you. Maybe you could stop him from.." He tried to change the topic back to her second point, but again couldn't bring himself to say it out loud.

"From what? Having sex? Zoro, he is a grown man. And he is _Sanji_ " another pointed look "What makes you think any of us can stop him from doing whatever the fuck he pleases?" 

Now Zoro gave her a look of his own, because, duh. "He'd do anything for YOU." He spat, not without a hint of bitterness. 

"Not in this state, he wouldn't!" The navigator hissed right back at him with an amount of venom that actually took him aback.

"The hell is that supposed to mean." He asked.

"You heard me." Nami said, calmer but still with that strange edge in her voice. "He's different before his heat. Less of a doormat towards me and Robin." He was sure that there was reproach in her voice. He just didn't know for what.

"I don't think I could stop him even if I wanted to and I really don't want to, just to be clear. This seems to be something he needs." She continued and Zoro balled his hands into fists.

What the cook needed wasn't the problem. Why he couldn't just meet his fucking need here was. Zoro was here after all and he would mate and claim the cook so thoroughly that he would be ruined for any other Alpha for the rest of his curly browed life.

"Hey, hello!" His head snapped up to meet Nami's concerned eyes "So that is true." He heard her mutter under her breath. "Seems that you still don't have the meeting from before out of your system." She said a bit louder before he could question her.

What the fuck was that supposed to mean? There was nothing to get out of his system. The cook belonged here, with him and nobody seemed to get that.

"What?" He barked at her when she started looking at him weirdly again. 

"So maybe you should get it out of your system." She said very slowly and looked at him with a raised eyebrow like he was just supposed to take her stupid cryptic meaning. "Physically" she added, probably in response to his expression.

He felt heat at his neck again. She couldn't be suggesting that. "You telling me to go jerk off?" He asked, disbelief clear in his voice

"I'm suggesting you do something that might help." She answered nonchalantly, which wasn't a fucking no.

He growled at her "You wanna help? Help me find the cook."

"And then what?" She asked and threw her hands up dramatically. "Seriously what do you plan on doing? Talk him out of it? Cockblock him until he gives up? Knock him unconcious and drag him back here?" 

There was a part of Zoro that was a tad ashamed that those options sounded progressively more appealing to him. But that part was out to lunch and he just crossed his arms in what definetely wasn't a pout.

"And even if you get that far with all your bones intact, which isn't a given by the way," and she still wasn't finished, damn, "he is still going into heat. What do you plan on doing about that?"

He stared at the table persistently, and he would continue doing that no matter how hard Nami glared at him. 

Unfortunately Nami knew how to count two and two together and when she gasped he knew that the penny had regrettably dropped. 

"Oh." She said, voice soft with pity and he hated it.  
"Oh, Zoro..." he knew in that moment that he didn't want to hear whatever bullshit platitude she was about to spout.

"Don't." And for once Nami actually obligingly shut her mouth.

"I don't wanna talk about it. Help me or don't, but don't fucking talk to me like that." He growled at her and when he met her eyes the pity was gone.

"I'll help you" she said, firmly and without the pitying lilt. "You'll owe me a favour. And if you wander off the deal is done. " He nodded and let the side comment slide.

"I don't promise that we'll find him or that you'll like what we find. And I'll only ask him once, if he doesn't come with us I'm out. That sound alright?" She offered her hand to shake on it and he took it.

What was one more favour for Nami, if he maybe could still get to his Omega in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say? I am a sucker for straw hat interactions.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I would love to read your opinions and theories on anything in this story so far:)


	5. Let's go home now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know how many other people noticed the cook

The search for the cook seemed to take forever. There were about a thousand bars in this tiny city with its stupid winding roads and he could be in any of them. Well not any according to Nami, who seemed to know just by looking at the front if Sanji definitely wouldn't set foot in a place. It was a weird skill that Zoro didn't really trust in and certainly wasn't prissy enough to understand.

It did pay off however when they came to a place where music was playing. Nami nodded and pulled him inside where it was very warm and even Zoro could admit that the interior was actually kind of attractive with worn but comfortable looking Sofas and chairs round dark wood tables and a hard wood floor for dancing. 

And that was exactly where the damn cook was.  
Dancing like he didn't have a fucking care in the world to some upbeat shanty. Swaying his stupid hips and moving his legs in such a fucking complicated way that Zoro's head was actually spinning a bit. 

And then he noticed that Every. Fucking. Person. was looking at him. 

"Come on..." he heard at his side and Nami pulled him over to a table.

From there he could observe even better how the whole damn room was staring at his Omega, like they even knew what they were looking at. 

His bandaged fists were clenched on the table as he watched on and only noticed that Nami had ordered something when his beer was in front of him. That was actually a really good idea and he gulped the whole thing down.

After that he was still boiling. But the feeling was more managable. He could interrupt at any point of course but there was something about the way the cook moved, turning and dipping gracefully to the music that was almost hypnotic.

"He's a really good dancer." Nami said from his side. He just made a noise of agreement before abruptly leaning forward. The cook was apparently finished and walking to the bar to get a drink.

That would be his chance! Except in the second Zoro needed to decide whether to do it himself or send Nami, the fucking love cook had already struck up a conversation with some muscely asshole that just screamed Alpha across the room. 

And now he was accepting a fucking drink and smiling his stupid smile that made his whole face light up. Why he ought to go other there and kill that alpha fucker that a 100 per cent could not appreciate what he was being given there.

Nami's hand on his fist made his head snap back around to her worried face. "No need to target lock the poor guy. He hasn't actually done anything."

Yet. Zoro thought and determined that he was not about to let him. Then he saw Sanji lean in and whisper something in the guy's ear. No doubt some filth judging from the guy's body language going from relaxed to coiled in happy anticipation. If he were a dog his god damn tail would be wagging.

"Zoro. Let go off that glass." Nami's voice drifted through his senses. Oh right. He still had that in hand and there was really no reason to break it. Not if there was something much more worthy of destruction.

He abruptly got up and stalked over to where the cook was busy serenading that unworthy piece of shit.  
Once there he grabbed the guy by the shoulder so both he and Sanji turned their heads to him. He looked the guy straight in the eye and growled in his most menacing voice. "Whatever the offer is. You are not interested." He tightened his hand like a vice and enjoyed the wince of pain. "Fine, fine. Jeez, let go of me man."The guy whined pathetically and was gone in no time when Zoro let go of his shoulder.

Perfect, now to the more important things in life. He turned to Sanji and found himself looking into a blue eye burning with a fire unmistakably fueled by rage. "What in the name of FUCK do you think you are doing?" The cook hissed at him.

"Come back to the sunny" Zoro started instead of answering. "Not like you'd find someone decent here anyway." 

"Oh hell no. We are not doing this down here. You come alone? Nah, wouldn't have found me." Sanji looked around for a second and apparently he found Nami because he glared at her and she just waved sheepishly before coming over. 

"That wasn't what I meant when I said to have an eye on him Nami!" He said to her, and that was news to Zoro. Have an eye on him. Why?

"I know..." she said but looked around because people were starting to notice their fight. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought him here. But can we talk somewhere more private?"

Sanji sighed and carded his hands through his hair. "I've booked a room upstairs. Let's talk there." he said and lead the way.

He booked a room. It was very difficult for Zoro not to take apart the bar right that instant. "Room upstairs of a bar, huh? That usually were you get fucked?" Zoro asked and just got a dirty look from the cook.

Nami was walking between them, seemingly actively blocking Zoro from getting closer to the cook, which probably was the only reason there wasn't a shoe in his face yet. It still annoyed him, even more so when Nami stomped on his foot with her heel and glared at him for the comment.

Upstairs Sanji unlocked the small room, ushered them in, took a deep breath and there was the kick Zoro had expected. Aimed straight for his neck. 

He blocked quickly and dodged the next few attempts at manslaughter. 

"Fucking hell cook, I thought you wanted to talk!" He growled at some point and Sanji stopped a few feet away from him, breathing hard, blue eye still livid with fury.

"About what? How I am a total omega slut? How I can't make my own fucking decisions?" The cooks fists were clenched so hard Zoro worried for a moment he might hurt his hands. The words were only half registering in his brain but the tone set of every alarm bell he didn't know he had. 

That wasn't just anger, it was hurt and disappointment, sadness even. And he had put it there. He had made his Omega profoundly unhappy. He hadn't thought that something like that could hurt so much. He hadn't realised that that was the message he was sending the cook.

"Or about how you suddenly want to run my sexlife, when you just fucking deigned to notice what the whole world already knew?!" Sanji was screaming now and Zoro was again rooted to his spot, unable to make it better. "Well let me tell you something you damn plant, you have no fucking right and you are not my fucking Alpha!"

The words cut like one of his swords, leaving a gaping bleeding wound in his soul.

Not my Alpha.  
Not his Alpha.  
Not the cook's Alpha.  
The cook didn't want him for an Alpha.

"I'm not your Alpha." He repeated and it sounded wondering even to his own ears, hollow somehow like a distant thought, something between the waking world and the nightmare realm. 

But it was true wasn't it. Those were the facts he had to live with. Sanji just had to confirm it for him.

"Yeah, Marimo. You're not my Alpha." The cook said, anger making way for exhaustion. He was looking away. Was that disgust on his face? And the way he was hugging himself like he wanted to protect himself? Even the scent all around him was wrong, the delicious pre-heat mixing with anxiety.

All Zoro wanted to do was wrap the cook up in his arms and make the pain go away. Make his Omega whole again. No, not his, never his. He had caused this. It was his fault. 

Now he had to bear the consequences.

"Very well." He said. "I better go then. 'm sorry. I didn't wanna..." He trailed off. That would be a lie. 

Sanji just nodded and Zoro followed his eye as he looked to Nami, who was standing to the side with tears in her eyes and a hand over her mouth. Zoro had completely forgotten that she was still here.

"Get him home safe." The cook said to Nami without looking at him, still hugging himself defensively. How could he have fucked up so bad? How was Sanji still so kind?

Zoro couldn't quite remember how to move until Nami carefully took his elbow. "Let's go home now." She said, voice quiet and soft in a way she wasn't often. A tiny tug at his arm and his feet started moving of their own accord. The door to Sanji's room closed behind them, the cook's hunched over form the last thing Zoro saw of him.

Their trip back to the sunny was hazy to the swordsman, the realisation that he had ruined any chance at a relationship with the cook dawning on him anew every few thoughts. 

Nami was blissfully quiet, just tugging him along through the street back home. 

On the ship she brought him straight to the men's quarters. In front of the door she looked at him for the first time since they had left that room.

He could see on her face all the things she wanted to say. That he had fucked up so bad. That she hadn't helped him for that. How he looked like shit.

He was grateful when she didn't and just looked away. "Get some rest." She said without meeting his eye and walked off to her own room.

He was not sure how he was supposed to do that. When he walked in the room the overbearing smell of the cook's pre-heat slammed into him like a cannon ball. How had he never noticed this before? 

Briefly he considered sleeping somewhere else. He could trade watch with Brook or ask Chopper to stay in the sick bay. Then he resolved not to do that. He had made his bed. Now he was going to lie in it. 

He was the only person in the room right then, which was all the better. 

He lay down in his hammock, closed his eyes took a deep breath and started meditating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dun.
> 
> Please don't hit me!


	6. The Bond Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know how much the consequences would occupy his mind or those of the other straw hats

Zoro wasn't the type of person to dwell on what-ifs. Torturing himself with versions of his life if this, that or the other had happened differently was something he had trained out of himself after Kuina died. There was nothing productive about dwelling on things he couldn't change.

Unfortunately one of those things was the messed up thing he had with the cook. He had fucked that up royally and after three days in which Chopper insisted on putting him on surpressants, and every room on the sunny being aired thoroughly, he was lucid enough to actually understand what he had done and be ashamed of it. Not only of what he had actually done, but that he had been unable to restrain himself from doing it.

He had thought himself save from something as mundane and bodily as hormones. Had believed that he had trained enough restraint into himself that he would never lose control like that.

He had been wrong. And it might cost him one of his most important friendships.

Now he had a few days to steel himself. To come to terms with the rejection and to decide how to go on.

An apology was the first thing that was in order.

So that was what he immediately planned to do on the fourth day of their stay, when excited chatter and demands for food on deck pulled him from his traning. 

The cook was back and they would need to talk sooner rather than later. On the other hand he realised that Sanji would probably want a few moments of peace after the greetings were done. So he opted to finish his training and then go make his amends.

When he came to the galley a few hours later the cook was alone and busy with some preparation or other. 

It wasn't going to be a pleasant conversation, but it had to be had. "Cook." He said in greeting, not that Sanji didn't know he was there. "Marimo" came the cook's reply reply. His voice was strangely tired and when he turned around Zoro saw immediately that he wasn't exactly in peak condition. Bag's under his eyes and ashen skin suggested that he hadn't properly slept for a while. Briefly he wondered if maybe he had been mistreated by his partner, but he quelled his rage. It wasn't his place and Sanji could fend for himself. He didn't want to think about the other possible reasons for Sanji's lack of sleep.

"Came here to say sorry, said a lot of crap I shouldn't have. Did even more stupid shit." He said at once, not seeing a reason to beat around the bush.

There was no answer from the cook for a second until he sighed and hugged himself in that way that was so unlike himself, like he needed the extra defense. It made Zoro sick to his stomach. "If you are willing to blame hormones so am I. So let's just do that and never speak of it again." Everything in Zoro recoiled at the suggestion. Partly because he knew that it wasn't just hormones. But mostly because he didn't want to shift blame from himself, not even to his hormones. He had lost control, he should accept the culpability. But that wasn't what Sanji wanted. And in this he had ignored the cook's wishes too much already.  
So he nodded with a heavy heart.

"That all?" The cook asked. Zoro nodded mutely. "Then get out." He said and turned back to his work.

Zoro had to force himself to move instead of staying and lending support for his... no not his omega, for Sanji, who seemed miserable. On the other hand he was the reason for that state of affairs. So he reminded himself of that fact and left the galley to go train like he usually would. 

Life on the Sunny would go back to normal. It just had to.

***

And over the next few weeks it did. Sanji returned to his normal healthy self within days. And with that the annoying song and dance around the women on the ship returned too. Even that was sort of welcome in Zoro's book when it meant that there was no damage beyond repair.

He and the cook even got into each others' hair like they usually would over the most petty of things. Maybe even more often than before and certainly just as violently.

And as far as Zoro could tell the cook was happy. He was spending vast parts of his day cooking, preparing everything the crew ate with the utmost care and precision and tending to each of their preferences in such detail that Zoro felt bad for never actively noticing or openly aknowledging it before. So he made it a point to at least say 'thank you' and 'it's good' after meals. Sanji's flattered irritation was a nice bonus for doing what was right.

Most of the rest of the day the cook was busy with other chores around the ship, doing the laundry or cleaning. Zoro had known that their cook was a hard worker but he had never really noticed just how rarely he saw him just sit down and relax for awhile. And the more he paid attention the more he realised that it just didn't happen all that often.

He was the first up in the mornings and often the last one to return to the sleeping quarters and sometimes Zoro wondered if that had been the case before their issues or if it maybe was the cook avoiding him.

Then again. Sanji seemed perfectly normal. The only difference to before was that Zoro now could permanently smell the Omega pheromones under the surpressants, even if the artificial note made the scent wrong somehow.

It was a permanent reminder of his weakness and failure and as such he accepted the near constant nightly torture.

Other than that everything was fine. On the outside nothing had changed. 

And yet he kept catching the others in stares behind his back or looking at the cook weirdly. It was a bit unnerving.

Even worse was that they were apparently not as resolved on the issue as he was. At least their captain wasn't.

One sunny day, when he went to the kitchen to pester Sanji for his post work out Sake, he overheard captain and cook.

"...on't know what your point is Luffy." That was Sanji's voice, laced with discomfort and annoyance.

The sound of chewing. Then their captain's voice: "I already told you. You are not being very nice to Zoro. Sort that out. Captain's orders."

Even through the mouthful of meat Zoro knew at once that Luffy was serious. But what did he mean? Sanji hadn't been the one to fuck it all up. Besides, they were fine. As fine as they were going to get at least.

"Everything is fine with me and Zoro, how often do I have to tell you?" Even more annoyance in the cook's baritone.

"Captain's orders." Luffy repeated, this time in his proper captain voice and maybe even a hint of Alpha command.

Zoro could practically feel Sanji bristle. But apparently the conversation was over because their captain suddenly bounded out and Zoro could just barely avoid being run over. 

"There you are Zoro! Shishi! Usopp wants to try his new itching powder bombs. Come on." The captain laughed, rubbery arms grabbed him and the swordsman never even had a chance.

***

After a pretty bad storm, during clean up, he had just been watching Sanji climb around between the sails to fix some of the rigging when suddenly Brook was beside him. 

"Hello Zoro." He said lightly. "He's good at that." He then commented and was apparently also watching Sanji move between the sails like he never did another thing in his life. 

"Guess so. Grew up on a ship, apparently his old man was a sailor." Zoro answered and wondered where this was going.

"Yohoho, that would do it. Sanji really is a sailor at heart!" He said before pulling out his violin and starting on some song about freedom loving men of the sea and their loves that tame them. All the while looking at Zoro with his empty eyesockets like he was supposed to understand something.

It was only a short piece before Brook sighed contendly and then walked off and climbed up to help Sanji. 

It didn't take long until Zoro heard laughter and singing from up there and with that pleasant feeling trickling down from above him returned to scrubbing the deck.

***

Chopper too wasn't exactly done with the whole thing. Even four weeks later he insisted on regular blood tests and occassional doses of surpressants.

Now the little doctor was sitting across from Zoro, reading over the latest results of bloodwork and looked at the swordsman with his brows pulled together.

"It's really strange... Your Alpha hormones are still elevated above the level they were before the incident. Are you sure that you are fine and that there is nothing you want to tell me?" Zoro never understood how cute and cuddly chopper sometimes got that piercing look in his eye when he was in doctor mode.

He scratched the back of his neck, "What's there supposed to be to tell?"

Chopper put down the results and looked at Zoro seriously. "Do you want to move out of the bunk room? Maybe the constant closeness to Sanji..."

"No." Zoro interrupted decidedly. "I can deal, it worked before, didn't it?" He wasn't about to flee from this or about to let more distance come between him and the cook.

"Yes. But you didn't know then." Chopper said and looked at him strangely.

"Yeah, but it shouldn't matter, should it? He's still the same, so am I." Zoro countered.

With a sigh the doctor leaned back. "If you're sure, fine. I really don't like to put you on surpressants more often, but it might be necessary. Those elevated hormones are putting stress on your system, even if you don't feel much of it yet."

Zoro made a noise in aknowledgement. He wasn't happy about more surpressants, they dulled his sense of smell again, so the cook's already surpressed scent became even fainter, but there was just no arguing with Chopper in these matters. So he suffered through the needle in his arm wordlessly.

***

When Zoro came below deck to find the cook during his inventory in the hold it was only to pester some of the locked away booze out of him. 

He saw the cook through the open door, cigarette in his mouth, dull light of the lamp giving his blond hair a copper tint and completely lost in his work.

But before he could go there and get what he came for, he was pulled into the workshop by one abnormaly large hand and found himself face to face with their resident cyborg. 

On looking around he saw that Usopp was in the room too, hovering nervously behind him after having closed the door.

"What?" Zoro growled in irritation.

"Nothing special Zoro Bro, it's just you don't come down here often." Franky answered and popped open a bottle of cola, offering it too him.

He declined with a wave of his hand. "Yeah, so? Cook's down here, locked up the booze again."

"That the reason, huh?" The large man gulped down a good portion of the bottle then sighed contentely. "Are you really so thirsty bro?" He asked then and Zoro was almost sure that there was some sort of second meaning there. But he didn't get it so he just shrugged. "Wasn't in the mood for waiting." He said and got up quickly when he saw the cyborg get out his guitar to start a song.

But Usopp was still in front of the door and the way his eyes moved shiftily he had something to say. It took only a moment until the long nose had himself together enough and looked him in the eye. "If you're not in the mood for waiting, you should do like a real pirate and get what you want already." He said, gave Zoro a thumbs up and hurried out of the way.

Behind the swordsman Franky was singing something about thirsty men, but he was too confused by Usopp to listen properly, so he just got the hell out of the weirdo workshop and stumbled straight into the cook, who looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You locked away the good rum curly." He said in greeting and Sanji just snorted but grinned at him.

"Damn alcoholic. One glass, got it. Come on." The blond said and walked ahead and if Zoro stared the whole way at his ass in those fitted black pants it was a)a coincidence and b)only natural.

***

One of the little things that had changed after the incident was that Zoro attempted to support Sanji in his daily duties more. And one of the jobs he tried to take off Sanji's schedule had become clearing the table. So it wasn't a surprise to anyone that Sanji had gone to get ready for a trip into town after lunch and Zoro was the one putting plates into the sink and cleaning crumbs off the table. 

In the beginning everyone had still gawked at the unfamiliar sight but by now it wasn't news anymore and the crew had disperses directly after they were done eating. The only one's still in the kitchen were the women, who had been deep in a conversation minutes ago, but were now silent. Zoro could feel both of them watching him and something about that unnerved him.

But he had a job to finish so he ran the sink full of hot water, added soap and started doing the dishes.

"Say, swordsman-san." Robin was about to make an observation and Zoro already felt that he wouldn't like it. He didn't answer. She knew that he was listening. "You have quite taken to helping out in the kitchen, haven't you?" She said and he could hear the mysterious smile in her voice, the one she used when she was fishing for information.

"Didn't feel like I did my part before." He grumbled and wondered where this was going.

She hummed thoughtfully behind him. "I can't speak to that, but you certainly have been noticing cook-san's needs a lot more recently."

He almost dropped the plate in his hands. Damn that woman and her stupid choice of words. 

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He ground out and just hoped to god that she would drop it.

"You don't? Oh well." He heard her get up "Still, I believe you could stand to pay even more attention." She said to him before telling Nami she was going into town and making her exit. Leaving him alone with the red head who hadn't said anything so far.

Silence dragged on for a while with him scrubbing the dishes until he heard a sigh behind him and Nami got up too. "She is right, you know. This is really hard to watch." She said and before he could question what the fuck she even meant she was out of the door too, leaving Zoro with his work and his thoughts.

***

It had been 10 weeks since the incident. Life on the sunny was back to normal.

Well, generally at least. Right now life was anything but normal, because it was quiet. Too quiet. 

In fact except the cook tinkering in his kitchen noone was out and about. No explosions, no fishing, no falling over deck, not even Nami screeching to get away from her Mikan trees.

He had been kicked out of the kitchen earlier because the damn cook was apparently planning something, he had had his nap already, so there was really nothing better to do than find the others.

Noone seemed to be at their usual hang out which was getting stranger and stranger until he finally found all of them, huddled together in the aquarium lounge and looking straight at him from within their round where they apparently had just been deep in discussion.

Nami was the first to clear her throat.

"Perfect timing Zoro." She said. "Sit down, we need to talk."

Her tone and the looks of everyone else didn't bode well, but he did as was demanded and heavily fell in the last free seat. "What's going on?" He asked and suddenly felt tired.

The others exchanged looks again before Nami looked at him and spoke firmly. "Zoro, this is an intervention."


	7. Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know his crew would stage a fucking intervention over it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello and welcome to this chapter!
> 
> I was a bit quicker than I had thought.
> 
> So please enjoy this chapter ^.^

Huh?

"Intervention?" Zoro repeated, and felt like an idiot.

"Yes Zoro, this situation is unwatchable. You need help." Nami continued decidedly.

"Help with what?" He asked, irritation peaking.Crew of weirdos. Couldn't speak plainly.

"With Sanji." She said like it was obvious.

That was still what this was about? He growled at the navigator. "What about the damn cook? Everything is back to normal."

He looked around and saw the disbelieving faces of the crew (and Robin's amused one). "What?" He asked and felt heat rise in his neck.

"You mean, you didn't notice?" Chopper asked in disbelief. 

"Notice what?" He asked again and damn, this was so irritating. Of course he wasn't quite over the cook yet, he'd had these feelings for years. But what was so different now?

"Bro, you are suuuper hovering around Cook bro." Franky said with a raised eyebrow.

"Hovering? Wha.." he started but was interrupted by Nami "And pining."

Pining?

"Watching him the whole day." Brook sing songed.

Now that couldn't be true.

"Doing his chores." Usopp added and nodded sagely.

Okay maybe bu..

"Complimenting his food." Robin added sweetly.

Okay, yeah but that was only fair.

"Zoro." His eyes snapped to Luffy, who seemed serious for once. "You are a pirate. You obviously want to be with Sanji. Why are you not fighting for it?"

The question was piercing. Why didn't he fight for it? Giving up so easily, it wasn't like him at all.

But then he remembered Sanji in that room, livid and defeated and telling him that he didn't want him for an Alpha, turning away in disgust. 

He hung his head in defeat. "He's made quite clear that he doesn't want me. You're all just making it harder." He told them.

"Zoro?" It was Nami's voice, softer again. He looked up at her and her brows were pulled together. "When did he say that to you?"

Was she kidding him now? He felt agression flare up almost instantly. "You were fucking there! He told me that he didn't want me for his Alpha!" He growled.

She exchanged looks with the others.

"Zoro, he never said that. He said that you weren't. Not that he didn't want you." She tried reasonably, but where was the difference?

"So?" He asked and crossed his arms. "It's all the same."

Now Nami raised her voice in irritation. "Now listen here, the way you barged in there like a gorilla and played big bad Alpha, of course he wouldn't stand for it! You haven't even tried to court him properly!"

Court the cook? Properly?

"Now, that isn't quite true." Robin said, a smile in her voice. "Swordsman-san has been quite attentive to Cook-san lately. I believe that does count as courting behaviour."

What? Had he really been doing that?

"Zoro?" He looked to Chopper who looked a little bit nervous. "Is it okay if I talk about your medical condition? Robin suggested something earlier and that might be it... It might help you. Will you allow that?" 

He had never been able to say no to those big brown pleading eyes and he didn't care if the others knew what Chopper knew.

"Yeah, go ahead I don't give a damn." He said and Chopper nodded.

"As I have told you often enough since the incident: Your hormone levels have been elevated. Combined with your behaviour towards Sanji and the shock you had, I think you might be mate guarding due to an unfinished bond." The little doctor said.

"Huh?" Zoro asked intelligently.

"It's a condition that Alphas get when they have a bond to an Omega that isn't fully consumated." He explained.

"I don't get it." Zoro growled. 

"That day in the kitchen, you somehow formed a pretty strong bond." Chopper explained very patiently. "But it didn't get finished, probably because Sanji fled the scene at once. It's been dangling between you ever since, driving you to complete it. That would explain the agressive pursual during the incident. And the hovering ever since, and the courting, even the shock, the hormones weren't the problem, suddenly interrupting the bonding is what sent you into overdrive."

Zoro remembered the pain of seeing Sanji leave through that door in a flash and had to close his eyes to brace himself. 

When he opened his eyes Chopper was already fussing. "Oh my god are you alright?" He said while checking Zoro's pupils and pulse and everything else he could get his hooves on.

"Yeah, yeah forget about that." Zoro had bigger fish to fry. "That is why I can't stay away?" He asked. 'Why I can't get him out of my head?' He thought

Chopper nodded. "At least it might be. The condition is pretty rare these days because most people just consumate their bonds when they form them or break them at once when it was an accident. It's just a little weird that you managed to form such a strong bond in such a short time and that it didn't break when..." Chopper looked unsure how to finish that sentence.

"He rejected me?" Zoro asked tiredly but thought: 'Nothing weird about it'. He'd been in love with that damn fool forever and had always been ready for being rejected. Why would a bond be any different?

"That why Zoro smells so weird too?" Luffy asked from his place at the head.

Chopper turned to him. "What do you mean?" The doctor asked.

"He smells a bit like Sanji all the time now." Luffy said. "I thought Sanji was doing that. And that it wasn't very nice. So I told him to sort it out." 

Chopper bounded over to Luffy and looked at him sternly. "Has Sanji's scent changed too?"

Luffy was picking his nose while thinking. "Dunno, he is on surpressants most of the time, so I only know what he smelled like when we met at the Baratie and when he get's all weird, but that hasn't happened since Zoro went crazy. I only know that Zoro smells a bit like Sanji does without surpressants since then."

Zoro's mind ground to a halt. "Wait, you can't smell the Omega on him through the surpressants?" He asked.

Luffy looked at him weirdly. "Nah, not usually at least. Why?"

He was getting goddamn fucking giddy. "I can, I smell it all the time now." He didn't even know why that made him so fucking happy.

"Another symptom of the bond I presume?" Robin asked softly and Zoro could swear the damn woman was having fun at his expense.

"Yes. That is very likely." Chopper said and looked at Zoro seriously. "We have to do something about this. A dangling bond is very unhealthy."

Somehow Zoro didn't like that tone at all. "So, what's your point?" He asked.

The doctor looked at him with his big brown eyes. "You have two options. Either you consumate the bond or it has to be broken."

Like fucking hell anyone was touching his bond to the cook. "You keep your fucking hooves off our bond." He growled at Chopper.

Chopper looked at him with tears in his eyes and he really hadn't wanted that. "If you keep it and nothing changes it will drive you insane!"

"Unfinished bonds have been used to torture people to death in the past." Robin supplied in her usual fucking helpful way from her seat.

"But I am fucking fine!" He growled and the idea that someone could try to take this connection away was so painful that he just couldn't bear it. 

So what if he'd been mate guarding or whatever? If sleeping in a room with Sanji was sweet sweet temptation? Maybe he was pining and hovering. But losing the connection they had made just HAD to be worse. 

Wait. Hold that thought. The connection THEY had made.

"Can you form a one sided bond?" He asked, if himself or the crew he didn't even really know and when he looked around everyone else looked confused too.

"I've never heard of that." Nami said and the others nodded.

"I do think you need two willing parties, at least for the moment of creation." Robin said and while the damn woman didn't really do smug, the twinkle in her eyes was probably her version of that.

He looked at his hands, clenched them and unclenched them. They had a bond. A bond that Sanji for whatever reason didn't know was still there. That they had made together and was still intact even if it wasn't finished. 

Sanji had wanted him. He remembered the scent shortly before he had lost it, sweet and inviting and tempting. In that moment the cook had wanted him enough to create this bond. Maybe the cook could want him again.

He had a chance after all. He had to make things right. 

He felt a smile spread across his face. It would be a challenge. But he loved challenges.

"You can calm down now Chopper. I'm going to finish that bond. I'm going to court the cook."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everything is a bit clearer now, yes?
> 
> If you like the story please drop me a comment. It means the world.
> 
> Next chapter we get Zoro courting a shit cook (with the help of the crew, when they are not busy face palming.)


	8. To court a shit cook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know how shitty courting would be. Or how rewarding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone.
> 
> Since I think that we've all been quite patient this chapter will have a bit of fun in it. The sad times are also over now.
> 
> Just one quick warning: Sanji has both sets of genitalia here. So if a vagina on a man turns you off, you might wanna step off the train here. 
> 
> Otherwise I hope you have as much fun with this as I had!

When Zoro had decided to court the cook he had known that the crew would support him. That was just who they were. What he hadn't known was that they would force him to sit through fucking lessons. 

Fucking lessons on Omega Biology, held by Chopper. Of course their little Doctor wasn't the kid they had picked up years ago anymore, and of course he was the most qualified to talk on the topic, being their doctor and all. But he was still like a tiny furry brother and it was just strange to hear him talk about Sex and Sexual organs for an hour. Especially because ultimately they were talking about the cook.

But awkward as it was, Zoro still appreciated it. It helped him understand what had been going on with him, how his hormones worked in response to an Omega's.

More importantly it warned him of what he had to expect if he ever got his hands on the person he had desired so intensely for so long. Even if it was really strange to have Chopper point out feminine organs on the picture of an otherwise ordinary man. 

He had never been into women so that was foreign territory. Maybe even a bit daunting, but also exiting. It was all part of the cook, and he wanted those parts too.

So he suffered through the awkward feeling of listening to safe sex advice from a reindeer, said his thank yous for the help and left. Slightly embarassed but a lot more informed.

***

Less immediately awkward, but a lot more embarassing in the long run was being pulled aside by Robin for a 'talk' on courting.

Even before they began, that damn cryptic smile on her told him that she was going to have fun at his expense.

"So Zoro, how are you feeling today?" She asked, feigning innocence.

"Awkward and impatient." He grumbled so she'd get to the point. It didn't seem to daunt her the least bit. Just made her hide her smile behind her hand.

"Oh well, let's see if we can help that. What do you know about courting?" She started and he leaned back.

"It's what romantic fools do." He said and at that moment maybe counted himself in that number. "You give gifts and do favours and stuff."

Robin smiled at him. "Hm... not a bad start. Yes. The giving of gifts is customary when courting. And so is performing all sorts of proofs of affection. A little like you've been doing for a while.

He felt his neck heat up again and looked away "I wasn't doing that actively."

"I imagine courting comes quite easy to an Alpha in love." Robin confirmed and it was so weird to hear someone just state the fact of his feelings out loud. "But you do want to court him actively, don't you?"

He nodded "I want to try doing it without it ending in constant fighting." He said and now that everything was clearer he had noticed that they had been in so many fights because he had sought Sanji's company so much, but still wasn't able to talk to him normally.

Robin looked like that was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.

"Hm, so you'll have to stop antagonising the object of your affection. That probably isn't going to be so easy. Sanji has quite the temper." She said.

Yeah, fucking prissy hot head.

Robin raised an eyebrow at him and apparently he had said that out loud. "What? It's true!" 

"Hm.. I suppose that is how you two show affection. You still may want to compliment instead of insult for better results in your endeavour." She advised and he looked away. Like he didn't know that. Damn fool was just so aggravating sometimes.

"You may also try to seek physical contact. Both to signal interest and to give comfort. And I don't mean getting into one of your fights when I say that." Easier said than done. How was he supposes to control himself when touching the cook? It was always a toss up between slamming him into a wall to kiss him senseless or doing the same thing to knock him unconcious so he'd shut his damn mouth for once.

"I just don't know how else to be with him. I want to be nice and then he does something so dumb that I just have to kick his ass." Zoro defended himself.

Robin just kept smiling in the same way. "Maybe he thinks the same thing about you?" She suggested and that was well possible so Zoro made an affirmative noise.

"Maybe you should just be honest with him. You may not have noticed but he is really enjoying the extra attention you have been giving him." She said and Zoro felt his heart beat pick up. Fuck, that was encouraging.

"Have you thought about giftgiving yet?" She asked with curiosity and he scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, a little. Nami already threatened to take me shopping. Said I'd need something decent to wear too and something about planning a date." He shuddered a little because all of that didn't sound like him at all.

Robin made a neutral sound and once again he couldn't read her face. "That sounds very... traditional. A date, dressing up, a gift. I think Sanji might quite like that kind of thing."

Zoro honestly thought so too. "Yeah he is sappy like that. Still think that I should do more than just plan a single occasion."

"Well, small courtesies go a long way. Holding the door, pulling out chairs, preparing a drink.." Robin listed and Zoro wrinkled his nose.

"That's the kinda shit the cook does for you." He said and he honestly didn't see himself doing that.

"He is very courteous." Robin said. "And those are only suggestions if you wanna do more than you naturally already do. To be honest I think the efforts you naturally started making are quite sweet on their own." She smiled at him and for once it didn't feel mocking, just supportive.

"Now just a few more honest words of appreciation and a slightly friendlier tone and your intentions should be accepted a lot better." She finished and he nodded.

Stay nice, pay attention, do nice shit, compliment, seek contact.

That couldn't be so fucking difficult.

***

It was even more fucking difficult. 

He'd walk into the kitchen and Nami would be there milking Sanji for all he was worth. So of course Zoro had to call him nosebleed. The ensuing fight was fun and a fuming Sanji was hot, but nice probably was different.

He'd wanna say that the cook looked good in that suit. Out would come that the prissy thing suited him

He'd try to open the door for the damn cook, but like an idiot was so damn early that Sanji kept staring at him awkwardly until he was through.

He'd pull out the chair, Sanji would stand and continue working.

He'd do the laundry, end up with white towels turned pink and another fight.

Tried to make another compliment and just got a bitchy response and a kick to his shin. Of course he'd said that the ridiculous eyebrows suited the cook, but still. Their fight destroyed a sail and left minor cuts on the mast. It was a good fight.

Tried to compliment his strength, phrased it like a challenge.

And God forbid he tried to touch the damn bastard lest he be kicked through the kitchen door ( or over board, or out of the crow's nest) in what was probably just a reflex.

Rinse and repeat. Somehow he seemed completely incapable of not antagonizing Sanji at every possible moment.

This small courtesies business wasn't working out at all. Maybe he needed to get out the big guns.

***

"Yohoho nothing is better to prove your love than a song from the heart!" Brook at once declared when he was asked and Zoro immediately regretted ever having had the thought.

So when the skeleton was starting on his violin and trying to cajole Zoro into singing a cheesy love song, the swordsman just waited until he was sunken in his music enough before carefully inching away.

***

He imagined Franky and Usopp wouldn't have anything helpful to add either. The two had been holed up somewhere on the ship modifying some room or other ever since the intervention.

***

The last option for support he still had was the damn witch, he determined after being kicked out of the kitchen for accidently covering the whole cook in flour in an attempt to help baking.

He knew that it would cost him dear, and that the results probably weren't going to be his style in the least. But he was getting desperate. He had been trying for a week now and nothing was working. At least Nami probably could gauge Sanji's tastes accurately.

Even if he hated seeing her sit there, leaned back all confident in her sun chair with a frilly drink the cook had made her. "So, you've decided to come to me after all?" She asked sweetly and he already knew that this would cost him limbs. "Of course I'll help." She said without waiting for his answer. "We'll dock soon and like I told you, we should get you some nice clothes, maybe flowers and plan something romantic so you can confess." She looked him up and down. "Of course you don't have any money, so I'll help you out." He braced himself for the insane interest the favour would come at but there was nothing. Just Nami sipping her girly drink. "What?" She asked.

"Isn't that gonna cost me?" He asked suspiciously.

"Normally I would charge. But seriously, I can't watch this any longer. Besides, I'm probably going to save so much on ship repairs when you two get it out of your system in the bedroom instead of on deck that I'll consider this an investment."

Normally Zoro would tell her what he really thought about where she could put her money. But he really needed the fucking help so he just grumbled under her mischivious smile. Even if her unwavering belief that they actually would end up working their issues out between the sheets calmed him down somewhat.

At least she was as good as her word. When they docked two days later she immediately claimed him as pack mule much to Sanji's annoyance and dragged him to town. With a leash around his waist for some reason. 

And now he was in the changing room of a damn prissy shop trying on a stupid black dress shirt and wearing uncomfortably fitted jeans. The woman had even put a damn tie on him. 

He stepped out ready to give her a piece of his mind where she was haggling with the sales woman already. But before he could say anything Nami turned to him and there came a look into her eyes that he desperately wanted to see on the cook's face. She even made a breathless little noise. "Oh damn, if you weren't gay as all hell and less of an ass..."

"Watch your mouth, witch!" He growled but looked in the mirror. Whatever else was true, even he could admit that he looked pretty good in these very uncomfortable clothes. Classy. A good match for the damn cook. 

"I hate it." He said but Nami just grinned from beside him "But you'll still take it.. if that ain't love." He had never wanted a little sister. So he absolutely didn't find her teasing even a bit lovable. Not. At. All.

On their way back they also bought a bunch of god damn flowers and the longer all of this took the more annoyed Zoro became. 

"It's going to be a clear night. What do you think about going stargazing?" She asked him, swinging her own shopping bag back and forth next to him.

"Sounds cliche." He said and meant it. "Sanji'd probably love it." He added and Nami smiled at him, a real, sweet smile. "You've changed, you know... " He looked at her, confused. "You used to not try and think from his perspective. Now you do all the time."

Zoro looked away. Familiar heat in his neck. "Never thought I'd have a chance even if I did."

he could still feel her smile.

"Soooo stargazing?" She asked and Zoro made a noncommital sound

One way or another. Tonight he would end this charade.

***

So when he stood in front of the galley that evening, dressed to the nines and with the flowers in hand, dread was already settling in his gut. This was so stupid. Sanji had to have noticed his attempts at courting. And he hadn't reacted at all or commented any of it. That was almost a rejection already, wasn't it? Damn and he felt like a monkey in a costume wearing this get up. And the stupid flowers too.

He was half tempted to just turn around and go sulk. But that wasn't his way. And for all that the other straw hats tried to be casual in the back ground he knew he was being watched.

But his damn feet wouldn't move forward either. 

"Zoro." Luffy. Perfect. He turned to his captain who stood in front of him with crossed arms. "Just go in there and tell him. You're a pirate and he's your Nakama no matter what. No excuses." His voice was stern in his own strange way and Zoro really appreciated the pep talk. 

"And no regrets." He answered and turned back to the kitchen before finally braving those two steps and facing the cook in his natural environment.

Sanji was there, of course, polishing glasses.

He turned around when he heard Zoro come in and his eyes widened for a moment and if Zoro wasn't completely mistaken it was roaming interestedly for a second before he turned back around.

Anxiety was practically rolling off of him. "What are you all dressed up for?" He asked and now Zoro knew he was playing dumb.

"You." He said simply and scratched his neck. "Flowers are for you too." He added.

"Great. Put them in a vase, then get out." He said and sounded weirdly strained when he did so. It was annoying Zoro, could he not at least finish his point?

"Cook. I am trying to ask you out here." He finally said, exasparated but did as he was told and crammed the damn flowers in the way too small vase on the table.

Sanji was bracing himself on the sink now, and that stress in his muscles was not actually normal for the swirly brow. "Can't, promised a feast to the captain." And now Zoro knew that that was a damn lie. He felt himself getting frustrated but breathed deeply to calm down. This wasn't going to work and he had been an idiot to think that Sanji would make this easy for him.

"Cook, you know that none of this is really my style." He finally admitted and loosened his tie, looked at the flowers in their vase. Looked at the cook's back.

"It's all just for you. You are not an idiot. You know that I have been trying to court you. And I know that you wanted me, if even just for a moment... I just wanna know if you will give me a chance. I'm no romantic. Got nothing but myself." He took a deep breath. This was the moment of truth. " but 'm here. If that is enough and if you'll have me, I'm yours."

There was extrem tension in the muscles of Sanji's back. He braced himself for the rejection. For having read all the cook's signals right.

"I don't think I deserve that." Was the reply when it finally came and it instantly confused Zoro.

Before he could ask Sanji was elaborating on his own: "I've been such a dick to you, and here you are, just putting yourself out there and just... offering up all of you like that. How am I supposed to accept that?"

Hope and confusion bloomed in Zoro's chest. That.. that didn't sound like a rejection at all but it wasn't a yes either.

"The hell are you talking about?" He finally asked and Sanji whipped around to face him with actual tears in his eyes.

"I fucking formed a bond with you, you moron! And I thought I broke it at once, or maybe I just lied to myself that I did! And to Chopper because I was so fucking afraid someone would find out how much..." he caught himself and Zoro was still reeling. Sanji knew about the bond. The whole time he had known and had willingly kept their bond. And how much what? But now Sanji had gotten started and there was no interrupting him.

"And then you followed me to that fucking bar and I fucking hated how presumptious you were so I thought you'd deserve it if I just left the bond like that." The cook's pitch had risen again and he sounded almost pained with self loathing. "What a dick move, right? I KNEW you weren't yourself, that it was all hormones, and I still punished you for it."

He wanted to interrupt because it had NEVER been all hormones on his side, but he didn't have a chance.

"And then you were so sweet to me, all of a sudden. Fucking annoying too because suddenly you were there all the fucking time, but I fucking LOVED it. You were finally really noticing me. And I knew it was the hormones, and that I was being a dick. But I didn't want it to stop, ever, so I..I.. I kept scent marking you when I caught you asleep. And now you are here, looking like my fucking dreams and bringing me flowers and it's all just because I've been fucking with your biology." He was breathing hard now, clutching his shirt at his chest and Zoro didn't know what to say. The only thing truly registering was that that sounded less and less like a rejection. The cook had wanted to be noticed by him. He had not just tolerated their bond, he had fucking nurtured it.

"I'm so sorry, it must have hurt and you must have been confused and I.. I preyed on you. I shouldn't have. Please forgive me!" There were actual tears falling now and the cook turned back around to his sink to hide them. 

Zoro felt like he should say something, but really what he wanted was his proposal answered. So he settled for something that felt like it fell inbetween.

"Why did you do it?" He simply asked and heard the cook's chocked up laugh.

"Because I was PISSED at you." He answered "There I was, sleeping in a room with Mr. Alpha Universe, going into pre-heat and not being noticed at all. You have any idea how that feels like? You should have been salivating at my mere presence, and you didn't even give a damn." He sounded almost bitter, despite the compliment. 

"And even that was kind of cool, I thought you didn't care because we are equals and I liked that. Then it turns out I was just so far beneath your fucking notice that I had to practically crawl in your lap, flood you with hormones and tempt you with a fucking bonding to get a ..."

Zoro hadn't even registered when he had moved, bridged the distance and wrapped his arms around the cook from behind.

That was enough. He got it now, they were both idiots and he was the biggest fool in existence because he just couldn't open his mouth and communicate when he needed to, but that was done now. "It's never been hormones for me. And I don't give a damn what you are, never have." He almost growled, and felt Sanji wanting to protest. "I just never thought I'd have a snowballs chance in hell with the Alpha I thought you were " He admitted and the cook stopped his sqirming, listened instead.

"Been wanting you for years." He continued and realised that he might be giving more information than Sanji may want, but maybe that was exactly what he needed to hear. "Sometimes I had to jerk off so much in a day because being in the same room as you was driving me up the walls. Tried not to think too much about you because I didn't want to encourage myself. Often couldn't come when it wasn't you in my mind, so I did it anyway." Heat was rising in his neck, but the cook was shuddering in his arms, lean muscles shaking and Zoro hadn't even really registered that Sanji was letting himself be held so close.

He couldn't help himself and started taking advantage. Tightening his hug and feeling over the cook's lean frame above his clothes.

"'m sorry that I never told you, or showed you. But I've been into you for years, so if you'll have me, I'm still yours." Sanji made a noise between a sob and a laugh and turned around still with tears glistening on his cheeks and in his blue eye. Zoro just loosened his arms a little to accomodate him and then rested his hands on his lower back

"You're not angry?" Sanji asked carefully as he was playing with one of Zoro's dress shirt buttons, almost a bit shy.

Zoro wasn't but getting there. "Not yet, I'll be pissed later. But if you don't give me a fucking answer soon I might slash you up."

Sanji laughed, a small hiccupy sound. "Like you could." He said, without any real bite. "And it's not just hormones? You wanted me... before?" He asked and the damn insecurity in his voice was breaking Zoro's heart. 

"Do I fucking stutter?" He asked the cook to break the tension. "Now answer my damn question before I look at that hypno brow too long and change my mind." He probably deserved the kick to the shin he got for that. But Sanji was grinning at him, tears forgotten.

"Do I even need to say it? I wanted to be noticed by you since we met." He admitted then and went from bold to shy almost instantly and Zoro wondered how far down that flush at his neck and cheeks really went.

But then he didn't because one of these days he would find out. For now the cook was leaning his head even further into him placing it on his shoulder and very softly pressing their necks to each other. Zoro felt his eyes close and his arms tighten around Sanji's waist as Sanji was hugging his shoulders and very deliberately rubbing their necks together. He was being scent marked he realised, properly this time and an immense pressure just fell from him, like he had been dragging around one of his heavier weights for no particular reason and it was gone now. 

Sanji had completed their bond. Just like that they were now properly connected and Zoro didn't know anything that felt as good as that. It was light and easy, sweet and warm.

Contentment bubbled up in him and when Sanji was finished and leaned a bit back from him, eyes in that haze he had only seen once, he at once moved in for a kiss.

Triumph filled his chest at the enthusiasm and passion the cook returned the kiss with. Nipping at his lower lip and coaxing his mouth open with his clever tongue so they could kiss deeply, tasting each other for the first time. They broke apart panting but couldn't stay that way long, so they kissed again and again, until their breaths gave out and they just breathed for a second in the space between them.

Zoro was painfully hard already and these stupid pants were doing nothing to hide that fact. He was sure Sanji already felt the erection against his thigh.

And when the cook looked at him with mischief in his blue eye he knew that he was so fucked. "Flattering. Does my Alpha want me?" He asked and Zoro instantly felt his cock jump and was almost sure he might be leaking already.

The cook had leaned in again and was nipping at his ear, jingling the earrings.

"Come on my Alpha... Looking like that you can have anything from me." He whispered in his ear, voice filthy. "Command me, I know you can. God do I ever know..." A shudder went through the whole cook and straight into Zoro's leaking dick. He was so, so out of his depth here.

"Hold still." He said, and although his mouth was dry, there was a fair bit of Alpha command in there and Sanji instantly shut his mouth, stilled and leaned back against the counter.

That was his chance to get his hands on that body. So he gave himself a little push and laid his hands on the cook, first on his cheeks were he held his head and gave him a chaste kiss before stroking down over his neck, flooding the space with more delicious delicious scent.

Further down over the pristine shirt that he carefully unbuttoned and pushed aside to stroke and caress the soft porcelain white skin he uncovered. Then to kiss it, nip at some places, lick and softly bite the pink nipples earning him their hardening and a gasp from above.

"That's right, let it out. I want to hear you enjoy yourself." He commanded and wondered at his own deep and husky tone.

Sanji was quite vocal after this permission, gasping and moaning softly when he hit a good spot or bit him lovingly on his tour of exploration further down. There he found a pretty trail of hair that he followed until he was kneeling and could open Sanji's pants with his mouth, enjoying the deep groan from above.

"That what you think about when you jerk off to me?" The cook asked and sounded strained.

Zoro made an affirmative sound and pulled down the tight pants. Revealing those insanely strong legs, stroking over that ass that felt as perfectly firm and tight as it looked and finding himself face to dick with Sanji's erection. 

"You naked? Yah, but..." He swirled his tongue around the head of Sanji's cock tasting his skin, the budding precome, the musk of him.

"... mostly I just imagine you under me, moaning my name. I want that. Do it." He commanded, firmer now and Sanji shuddered before him even before he swallowed the cook's cock whole and started blowing him like he really meant it. 

And did Sanji ever do as he was told. "Fuck Zoro! Zoro!" He moaned and Zoro would have grinned if he hadn't been so busy stroking every piece of cook he could grab.

There was just one more hurdle to take. He took Sanji's cock all the way in his mouth, earning him a nice long moan and used the cook's distraction to softly fondle his balls before daring to touch a bit behind them.

There he found the moist core that made Sanji different from all the other men he had ever been with. The part that made him unmistakably Omega. It was a unusual feeling at his fingertips, not something he had any experience with. But he wasn't a coward so he swallowed around the cock in his mouth and gave a few experimental strokes over the length of the velvety folds, earning him more shudders and moans of his name.

"Fuck, yeah... yeah.. touch my cunt, Zoro." The cook pleaded through his little pants and Zoro could do that, so he did. He lifted one of the cook's legs over his shoulder for better access and started stroking and caressing and feeling the moistness increase at his fingertips. He might come just from this.

The cook had started to fuck his mouth with shallow thrusts and he loved the feeling, and the inviting wet heat at his fingertips tempted him enough that he just had to push inside, first with one finger, than with two.

Sanji was not ungrateful, though he wasn't following Zoro's first command anymore and squirming around, grabbing Zoro's hair. The cook was babbling above him, words of encouragemnt. "God... keep doing that, such a good Alpha, fucking me so good with his fingers.."

Zoro would offer to fuck him properly with something else, but his mouth was a little occupied so he continued sucking the dick in his mouth, pulling off a bit to better swirl his tongue around it and felt it tensing and jumping like the cook was nearing his end. There was just one thing he'd like to try before then, so he felt around inside the cook on every thrust of his fingers until the cook stiffened, a chocked noise leaving him. And then Zoro's mouth was filled with come and the walls around his fingers started spasming uncontrollably. 

Found it. He thought before he was consumed with imagening what that spasming would feel like around his knot when he flooded the cook with his semen, when his Omega would be practically milking him for more with his greedy hole.

Apparently that image was enough to send him over the edge too. The sudden sticky feeling in his pants certainly suggested that.

He swallowed what Sanji had to give him and pulled off the softening dick, pulling his fingers from the still twitching hole. 

When he looked up from where he was holding the cook upright by the leg still thrown over his shoulder, he saw the full body flush covering all that milky skin, and a blond head still thrown back in complete bliss. 

He softly stroked the cooks thighs and ass and helped his leg back to the ground where his Omega promptly sank into his arms, curled up against him and still was occasionally rocked by aftershocks.

He had really done it. He'd pleasured the cook thoroughly. He felt... accomplished somehow.

Suddenly there was breathless laughter from in his arms. He looked and was met with Sanji's smile. A thing of light and beauty before he was kissed within an inch of his life.

"You suck at courting. But if this is how you fuck, I'll take it." He said when he leaned back again, arms still around Zoro's neck.

The swordsman barked a laugh."I noticed. You were pretty gone for a while there. Besides, I'm your Alpha now, right?" He asked and it felt so fucking good to say that.

The cook had the nerve to blush despite all of the things he could say with a straight face. But he looked Zoro firmly in the eye. "Yes. Yes, you are Marimo."

"Then who gives a fuck about my courting? I'll just keep you satisfied and then I'll never have to court anyone else ever again." He said and stretched with one arm extended. The other still holding the cook's naked form.

The smile on Sanji was so bright it was almost blinding him. But it also reminded him of something and he grabbed a fistful of blond hair and kissed the cook, harder than before, claiming. "Never let anyone else lay a hand on you again. You hear me? You are mine now." He said when he pulled back and noted that it sounded a bit aggressive, hoped that Sanji wasn't going to feel controlled again.

But the cook didn't even argue, just blushed even redder and looked away. "I don't think you have to worry about that." He said softly and when he didn't continue Zoro nudged him. He wasn't usually one to pry but he wanted to know what that meant.

After some more poking Sanji sighed and turned to him, playing with the buttons of his shirt again, but not looking at him.

"That night at the bar... I couldn't go through with it. I spent that heat alone." He said very quietly but filled Zoro's heart with warmth anyway. He hugged Sanji closer until he was hit. "Brute strength Marimo!" The cook wheezed.

"But why?" Zoro asked happy but disbelieving.

Sanji looked everywhere but at him. Like he really didn't want to talk about it. But after some more poking he finally spoke. "I wasn't really feeling it, even when I left the ship. But I hate to spend my heats alone. So I planned to just get it over with despite the bond." He paused "and I think I could've. But then you came after me..." he looked Zoro in the eye. "You were such an ass and I hated you for the way you treated me... but the Omega in me just wanted you and noone else, it was so hard to send you away with Nami." He admitted quietly. Zoro was not holding his breath, but it was close.

"And after I had sent you away the thought of having someone else on me.. in me.. I couldn't stomach it. I was sick after that and stayed alone in that room." Zoro was holding him, heart so incredibly full but sad at the same time. Sanji had suffered, all because he couldn't get himself under control enough to be goddamn respectful for a minute. "'m sorry. That why you looked sick when you came back?"

Sanji nodded carefully and looked guarded for a second before he relaxed again and looked Zoro in the eye, like he was trusting him with something. "It felt like I was starving. I fucking hate nothing more than that feeling of hunger. So you have to promise me something.." The cook began but was interrupted.

"You'll never spent another heat alone." Zoro said at once. "I'll never let you feel that again." And he meant it.

Sanji nodded and started to untangle himself and that was probably right. As nice as it was to sit here, it wasn't very comfortable, so Zoro got up too.

Besides Sanji always had work to do and Zoro really had to get out of the pants he had messed up.

Something Sanji was only noticing now and of course looking smug at the fact. Standing there in all his naked afterglow glory. 

Zoro already wanted to bark something embarassed at him but suddenly the cook was incredibly close again, stroking his neck and whispering in his ear. "My Alpha is flattering me... but next time, when you claim me... save it to fill me up, yes?" He said and didn't even blush when he leaned back, stepped back into his pants and buttoned his shirt before starting to wipe down the sink like nothing had even happened.

Zoro just stood there dumbly for a minute before getting his feet to move.This damn courting business had very much gone his way, he thought when he stomped out and towards the bath, but fucking hell was he out of his depth. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you enjoyed this piece of fluff and smut.
> 
> I also might do more side pieces detailing the straw hats exploits in supporting our dear swordsman.
> 
> Next up: "Heat" so you know what's coming my dear readers :)


	9. Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know how good the sex would be, or how much Sanji would insist on talking about shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied. Not on purpose but I lied.
> 
> No heat this chapter. 
> 
> The porn was running too long already. But you'll get regular porn and talks and emotions for now so all is not lost.
> 
> Warnings about Sanji's biology and the smut still apply though.
> 
> No Beta reader. So don't wonder too much at stupid mistakes, I'm not a native English speaker so don't judge me!
> 
> Might go back and edit a few things again though.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Things didn't change a lot after they had completed their bond. 

In fact in most respects things went back to the way they had been before The Incident. The changes in their relationship melding into their daily life completely naturally.

With the compulsion to guard his intended mate lifted Zoro could finally concentrate on training again. And he threw himself back into his ambition like he never had before.

Sanji was still performing his song and dance around Nami and Robin but at least had the decency to refrain from seeking to actually touch them, and Zoro appreciated that they were doing the same.

He could still permanently smell the Omega on Sanji, a calming reminder that the cook belonged to him now, so that was good too.

They were even still fighting, the way they had always had, making each other stronger. Testing the other near constantly. But there was a new understanding in it now. The understanding that after they were patched up they would find a quiet corner and renew their bond.

Zoro had always looked at the concept with disdain. A distraction from what ultimately was his goal. What he hadn't known was how cathartic it was to be properly scent marked by an Omega, or maybe it was the bond or maybe Sanji was just that damn good. All he knew was that every time after they were finished he felt perfectly calm and focused. Like his very soul had been centered, all the ripples in his emotions evened out into perfect, transcended tranquility.

Frankly he had never been able to train with more clarity of mind. It was actually a bit addicting.

The crew too were happy for them. Nami and Robin made a killing on a betting pool if his confession was going to result in sex immediately. And while he was annoyed at that, he couldn't really find it in him to get angry after everyone had taken such pains to support him.

Usopp and Franky were the great losers of the bet and Zoro thought that it served them right for doubting him. 

And although he had said that he'd be pissed at Sanji for lying to him and scent marking him behind his back, he really didn't care anymore after the fact. What was done was done and dwelling on it helped noone.

Chopper was not so lenient however and the whole ship was very well aware of the chewing out the cook got from him. Pitch, volume and length were unusual for a scolding from their usually cuddly doctor.

It honestly wasn't pretty and Sanji visibly felt like shit afterwards. But he'd gotten his ass in that particular mess on his own, and Zoro knew he wouldn't appreciate being pitied over his own mistake, so he didn't even try to offer that.

Instead he let the cook make his own amends and watched him pamper Chopper like never before. The doctor was not so easily calmed this time though and kept sneaking disapproving glances at Sanji. But that was between the two of them.

And as for amends to Zoro, he now knew what it felt like to be treated like Nami or Robin. Not in the same annoying over the top way, but tailored to Zoro with pin point accuracy.

When he wanted the good booze, he got it. When he wanted his favourites for dinner, he got them. When there were snacks he would get his directly after the women had theirs.

When he ordered onigiri and the good sake to the crow's nest as post workout meal he got that too, brought by the chef personally.

And when he asked Sanji to stay there with him while he ate, the cook got comfortable on the ground with one knee pulled up to his chest, and blue eye thoughtful.

He was silent company but Zoro didn't mind, this was comfortable. And maybe he could even get another scent marking and a bit of making out in. Somewhere at the edge of his conciousness he realised that sex was an option too. He would be up for it. They hadn't done anything more since the night they bonded, due to Zoro's need to catch up with his training. But apparently Sanji had other plans. Again.

"You know..." Sanji started and Zoro knew that pensive tone. It had been four days since their bonding. And that was the tone Sanji took with him when he felt that they needed to "talk" about their relationship. Needless to say he had been using it a lot. Zoro frankly didn't get what the big deal was. They could read each other just fine. But Sanji insisted so he accepted his fate and made a noise bidding the cook to continue. "I was wondering. Do you really not mind?" 

Zoro looked at him like he was an idiot. Mind what? Did he fucking look like the kind of guy that put up with things he minded?

Sanji in return looked at him like he was the stupid one. "What I have between my legs. Moss for brains." He explained and Zoro was comprehending this less and less. Apparently that showed on his face because the cook sighed impatiently. "Girl parts, Marimo. You're gay, right? Like really completely totally gay?" He added and was getting impatient judging from his voice.

Zoro didn't really care for the cook's way of phrasing that but didn't argue and made an affirmative noise. "Never cared to fuck a woman if that's what you mean." He confirmed. 

"So... you're okay with what I got?" Sanji asked again and his blue eye was searching Zoro's face for... something.

Obviously, Zoro wanted to tell him. He wouldn't have pumped his fingers in there if he wasn't.

"Told you I don't care what you are. Never have. Just wanted you." He said decidedly and watched the cook raise an eyebrow at him.

"Sooo.. if I didn't have a dick as well you would be into THAT too?" He asked and Zoro could hear that it was just teasing although his neck was heating again. 

Okay, he was caught there and Sanji just chuckled at his expense. "Shaddup." He growled. "I'm into men, you are a man, I don't mind the extra hole. End of story." He threw back the rest of his glass and when he met the cooks eyes there was mischief in them.

A grin was playing around his thin lips. "Extra hole, huh?" He repeated and Zoro now noted that that was a somewhat.. callous phrasing. Not that Sanji seemed to mind, he seemed to like it even. "Yeah, extra hole. What about it?" Zoro said defiantly, always willing to engage with Sanji's head games but tired of always playing catch up.

The cook folded his hands over his knee and laid his chin on there, eyes taking on an almost predatory quality "Is that how you think about me?" He asked and there was an edge to his voice that was already worming it's way to Zoro's dick. "About my body?" He continued with a smile and that damn twinkle in his eye. "Do you think about my 'holes' a lot, _Alpha?_ " And just like that Zoro felt himself harden at an alarming rate. And guilt welling up. Did he? He wasn't the type ro reduce people like that. But if he was honest with himself he may have started to see the cook through sex goggles recently. 

The damn bastard still didn't seem to care about that reduction though, got up in one swift movement and leaned into Zoro's personal space towering over him like during The Incident, bracing himself on his shoulders and looking into his eye. Zoro's arms were snaking around the cooks waist of their own accord. "You do, don't you?" There just wasn't any fucking mercy in the cook was there? And Zoro felt himself nod almost despite himself. It felt shameful somehow to admit to it but he had thought about fucking Sanji an awful lot. "About them being dripping wet for you?" Zoro felt his breath get shorter and his dick get impossibly harder. He desperately felt like he should DO something. At the same time he didn't want to interrupt, wanted to hear Sanji finish that thought. It was so fucking mesmerizing "Or do you imagine them stuffed full of your thick Alpha cock? Taking you so good while you fill them up? Want to claim them? Use them for your own pleasure? Fucking _ruin_ them for anyone else?" There it was again. The extra deep voice saying out loud thoughts he had tried to keep in a locked corner of his mind. But the cook wasn't finished yet. Zoro could tell.

A slight laugh at his ear, his piercings jingling. "I'll tell you a secret my Alpha... I think about that _all the time_ "

That exploded Zoro's self control. He didn't give a damn how Sanji could be so casual about something so degrading, reducing himself that way but he could have a crisis about why he was so bothered later. Now he grabbed a fistful of blonde hair and yanked his Omega into a hard kiss, bruising in its intensity, unbelievably hungry.

He needed to have that filthy mouth on him NOW. So he practically ripped the cook away again before grabbing his shoulders and bringing real force to bear on the cooks frame until he got the hint and knelt down between Zoro's legs, pawing at Zoro's body eagerly all the way.

Damn, he looked so fucking good kneeling there and looking up through half lidded eyes, hands lightly massaging Zoro's thighs. Like he knew what was wanted of him and looking forward to doing it. Fucking slut. He didn't let that thought give him pause, pushed it down.

"Go on" He said, adding just a bit of domination to test the waters. Sanji shuddered beautifully, opened Zoro's pants and pulled them down, freeing his erection and earning himself a relieved grunt.

Their eyes met again and the cook gave his length a few experimental strokes, deliberately opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue to give the dick in front of him a few good licks and whirls, not breaking eye contact once, hardly even blinking. He looked so fucking pleased with what he had in front of him.

Shit that was so hot and Zoro buried his hand in the blond hair and pulled the tiniest bit, signaling that he wanted more. The cook made noise that sounded a bit like helpless approval before following theough and opening that filthy mouth wide to take as much of Zoro's dick as would fit. And fit it did. Holy shit, did the guy have no gag reflex at all?

And still he was defiantly looking up at Zoro, even with his mouth stuffed full, lips spread obscenely around the shaft. There was fire in that blue eye and Zoro loved that maybe more than the perfect wet heat around him. But it wasn't enough so Zoro lightly tugged at the blond hair to get him to fucking move and he reacted immediately and started bobbing his head back and forth on the length of Zoro's cock, tightening his mouth like he was desperate for it.

Zoro groaned, fell into the cook's rhythm and soon was nearing the end of his tether. He tried to warn the cook and maybe pull him off but the perverted bastard just fucking locked his mouth on him and swallowed around his orgasm, taking wave after wave of his come into his body like he did that kind of thing every day.

He didn't pull back until he had emptied Zoro thoroughly and when he finally had, looked up at him lazily, like a cat that had been fed cream and canaries.

"Damn, you really like sucking dick don't you?" Zoro asked breathlessly. He wouldn't have been able to stop himself even if he had wanted to, damn bastard was too good at escalating things between them. He got a spreading grin as answer before the cook rubbed his god damn cheek against his flaccid cock without breaking eye contact. "I just like my alpha in me, is all." He said like that was the most fucking normal thing in the world.

Okay, that was it. Zoro pulled him up by the hair and crushed their lips together, tasting himself on the cook's tongue but honestly not giving single fuck. The cook bit his lip, probably in punishment for all the hairpulling today. But he didn't care. His hands roamed over the way too many layers the damn cook was wearing and started tearing at them. 

At least the damn bastard was helping and when Zoro broke free from the kiss he had his Omega naked in front of him. Dick hard and smell of arousal overpowering. 

"A fucking slut is what you are." The words just broke out of Zoro at the sight and for a moment he worried that Sanji might actually take it as an insult, but before he could backpedal he was being kissed again and then the cook breathed along his jaw. "Yeah, yours. Your personal whore." He said in a breathless tone, not even missing a damn beat. Zoro's mouth dried up again and that was such an incredible thought. The cook calling himself that, willingly reducing himself again like it was nothing, when he really was everything. And it was turning Zoro on like nothing else, making him feel powerful yet guilty. 

He didn't have time to dwell on it however. Next thing he knew, the cook had somehow managed to get one of his legs behind Zoro's back and suddenly turned with enough momentum to kick Zoro from the bench to the floor where he caught himself. 

When he turned onto his back to ask what the fuck was up with that, his mouth dried out suddenly because Sanji was standing over him shamelessly with a hungry expression on his face. All of him on display from this angle.

"Like what you see?" The damn cook asked with a smirk and Zoro just reacted with a growl and grabbed the backs of the cook's knees with enough force to make him fall down, immediately spreading his moistness where he had landed on Zoro's chest.

"Maybe, but at least I'm not dripping all over from having my mouth fucked." Zoro taunted back, falling into this rhythm of one up manship easily and enjoying the shudder that went through the cook and another wave of wet heat hitting his skin.

"We'll see about that." Sanji said darkly and lifted himself up until he was hovering over Zoro's face. There he stayed. And Zoro knew instantly that it was to give him an out when he wasn't into this.

Truth was that he was totally into it but having real difficulty choosing. It was like a fucking menu in front of him. Sucking the dick would be the route of familiarity, eating that tight puckered hole would be perfect. And the third option... Well that was more daunting.

But he was never one to back down from a challenge so he compromised and nuzzled the cock and balls in front of his face first before bidding them goodbye and commanding his Omega to turn around.

If Sanji was surprised it didn't show in his scrambling to properly present himself to Zoro.

From this angle the swordsman really could see everything. Before he had a chance to second guess what he was about to do he started giving experimental licks over both entrances, taking the taste that was uniquely the cook's in his mouth and savouring it the same as the delicious little moans and pants Sanji was letting loose. 

He liked that, didn't he? Well Zoro could do him one better. He pulled the cook into his face more and mercilessly started darting his tongue in and out of him, lapping up all the wet heat that came his way, suckling the tender skin occasionally.

The moans were getting louder and Sanji was cursing under his ministrations, but he wasn't done yet. He removed his tongue and licked a few times over the tight pucker of Sanji's other hole before continuing his rhythm there, opening that hole up nicely with precise strokes, while sneaking two fingers up and into wet folds.

The reaction was immediate. "Fuck yes!" The cook moaned and Zoro liked to know that he was doing his job properly. 

"Damn, so good... you like that? Playing with me? Spreading me open...?" Zoro wouldn't be in any state to answer that even if his tongue wasn't buried in the cook, but he was pretty certain judging from the quaking of his body and voice, that Sanji liked the whole thing just as much.

He still added another finger, as a sort of answer and the cook made a very loud, very appreciative sound at that. "Fucking hell...' he moaned helplessly before Zoro felt him fall forward and just give in to being rocked by Zoro's thrusting fingers, pace brutal and hand twisting occasionally, tongue still buried in his ass.

The cook was close, lean body coiled like a spring. And as Zoro brought his other hand around to grasp the cook's weeping neglected cock it only took two pumps for the blond to errupt into an orgasm that shook his whole body and left Zoro with messes on both hands.

He only noticed his own laboured breathing when he finally helped the cook lay down next to him, turning his boneless body right side up on the floor so their sides were flush.

That... had been hot.

Sanji apparently thought so too, judging from his amazed, disbelieving laughter. "Man, where'd you learn that?" He asked and Zoro blinked a bit. 

"Just a natural I guess" he answered because 'I'm just really, really eager' was a bit embarassing to admit. He didn't return the question however. He might go break a few skulls if he got too detailed an answer.

Sanji was laughing again before swinging his body up in one smooth motion and getting a cigarette and his lighter from his pants.

He lit up and exhaled and Zoro watched the motion with only mild disgust at the habit. He was too sated to argue right now.

There was still something on his mind though, so he fought against his post orgasmic haze to speak up. "You're not just holes to me, cook." He said and felt stupid immediately. Not only was that phrasing terrible, that shouldn't be something that needed to be voiced out loud. 

Sanji looked at him in surprise before sitting down next to him, an unreadable expression in his eye. Longing? No. Melancholy? No.. something sad but grateful at the same time. "Thank you." The cook said simply and took another drag. "And sorry." He added and Zoro must have looked confused.

"I let the dirty talk run away with me... " He looked to the side, hair hiding his eye. "Should have asked if that was okay with you."

Zoro blinked at the cook from where he was still lying on the floor "You're not gonna cry on me now, are you?" He knew he was being a dick, but that damn tension needed to be broken. And his tactic worked beautifully with Sanji's temple popping an angry vein and the cook sneering at him.

"Well excuse me, you ass. But this obviously stressed you out and you're not exactly Mr experience!" The blonde growled and Zoro swung his upper body into a sitting position to get in the cooks face. "So? I'm not made of glass, you dumb pervert. Do your worst!"

Sanji turned away and gnashed his teeth, rests of his smoke falling to the ground before throwing his hands up dramatically. "Yeah, because it's totally fair to overstep your boundaries for my personal fun because your macho ass won't speak up! We saw how that turned out the last time I did it!"

That actually stunned Zoro into silence for a moment. He had been finished with that whole issue, but maybe Sanji hadn't made his peace yet.

So he tried to be patient and non abrasive when he next spoke. "Listen you fucking bastard!" Oh damn... but he had started now might as well go on. "I'm not some flower that's gonna wilt because you have a foul mouth. And I'm not a fucking child." He grabbed Sanji by the neck and bodily forced him to turn around enough to look Zoro in the eye. "So you listen to me: when I don't want something I'm not going to let you do it. You hear me?"

Sanji looked at him like he was still in an arguing mood. "It's my job to not do things you dislike." He growled. And this was all so ridiculous. 

"Who said anything about disliking what you did you dumb fucker?" He asked completely exasparated and Sanji still looked at him stubbornly. God. He should have known that Sanji was the type to be so extreme about his partner's comfort. "I was just surprised." He mumbled. "Didn't think you'd go there. But I liked it. Never got hard so fast in my life. Felt a little guilty maybe that I have these thoughts." 

This honesty seemed to do the trick and the cook relaxed a bit under his hand. He searched Zoro's whole being with his gaze. "I guess we should have talked about it since my habit of running my mouth caused all of our problems."

Zoro would argue that point. But now wasn't the time. Sanji looked him in the eye and the 'we need to talk tone' was back when he spoke. "Marimo, how uncomfortable are you really with the idea of degrading me? Verbally or otherwise?"

He tried not to think about the otherwise lest his dick might make a reappearance and groaned in annoyance. "It's fine dammit. It's just new, I'm not used to think about people sexually and I'm not as much of a pervert as you, so I can't keep up." That was the only time he would admit something like that to the damn ero cook.

He met Sanji's eye to reassure the cook that he was being serious. But the blond was still searching his face. "So if I told you to call me a slut or to use me...?

Zoro could feel his face heat up and buried his it in the cooks shoulder. "Don't just say stuff like that. It gets me all hot and bothered. But yeah, i'd take some getting used to but I don't mind. Already did call you a slut earlier. If you don't mind I don't need to feel guilty about it either."

He could feel the cook nod, but that raised an issue with him. "Do _you_ really not mind when I do that?" He asked and felt Sanji snort. "Oh, please. That's pretty tame and it gets me going. Besides if I don't want you to do something, I'll just kick you ass."

The cook was grinning at him now, more cheerful again before grabbing the towel Zoro had still lying around from training and starting to wipe down the larger messes on both of them.

Zoro didn't argue although he remembered that haunted look in the cook's eye when he told him that he was more than something to fuck. He had the feeling that someone else had given him a different impression before in his life.

He'd like to rip that person limb from limb.

"Sorry for that too." Sanji said and meant the messes but didn't sound sorry at all. He shouldn't be. Zoro certainly wasn't. "'S fine." Zoro grumbled, laid down on the floor again and closed his eyes. He could really use a nap now.

"Damn Marimo, not even going to wash your hands?" The cooks prissy tone wafted through his subconciousness. "'M sleeping. Go away." He said but was abruptly awoken by a kick to his side.

What an ass. He shot up and glared at Sanji who had already gotten dressed and was now looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Come on you lazy fucking plant. You need a shower, and so do I." He said. And okay, maybe that wasn't such a bad idea.

So he got up with an exagerated groan of annoyance and on the way to the exit slapped the cook's ass. "Let's go then. Need my fucking sleep."

***

One of his favourite, if pretty casual, changes after the bonding was that he started spending a lot more time in the kitchen. Having his nap there, or drinking his booze, helping Sanji or even just hanging out.

And when they were alone he could pull the cook to him and renew their bond whenever he wanted.

It wasn't quite enough to sate some of Zoro's hungers, but it took the edge of and kept him calm. Something that became increasingly necessary. Because on day 6 after their bonding they had gotten into a fight with some marines that had left Zoro with a not so minor stab wound and Sanji with a dislocated shoulder.

Scent marking each other was really all they could get away with, with Chopper still watching Sanji like a hawk. And the cook, still somewhat guilt ridden, didn't even try to cheat Chopper out of his well founded doctor's concerns this time. 

So for the time being they hadn't really gone further in their exploration of each other than that and the occasional oral sex.

Zoro would be lying if he said he didn't want to though. Knowing that he was allowed to touch, but not being able to because of something petty like a sword having gone straight through his shoulder(and barely past a vital artery), was more than just annoying. Especially because he wasn't even allowed to properly train.

But at least he could have this. Sanji sitting across from him and working on their meal plans, after their marking. The comfortable silence between them. Still...

"Something on your mind?" The blond asked him which meant that he'd probably been making a face.

"Nah. Just thinking." He must have tightened his fist on the table subconciously because Sanji tapped his hand and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. 

"You sure about that?" He repeated and Zoro nodded. "Yeah. It's just that..." was he actually embarassed to say it? After everything?

He took another deep breath "I want to fuck you." There he had said it. The cook's whole face quirked into a mirthful smile. He extended his hand and brushed Zoro's piercings, then his neck and grinned at him. "You'll get there soon enough."

It sounded like a promise and Zoro buried his head in his arms. He wanted to do it now. 

"And when you do, you can fill me up any way you like, as often as you want, sound good?" He coaxed with his deep voice and Zoro groaned louder. That wasn't helping! 

Damn bastard was laughing at him.

"Shaddup, like you want to wait." He barked at the cook who just grinned at him "True." Was all he had to say, and Zoro groaned again. 

But something was niggling at the back of his mind. He fished around for a bit and then remembered. "Why don't you want to wait for your heat? Isn't that supposed to be romantic?"

The cook choked on his tea and coughed a bit before starting to laugh properly.

Zoro wasn't blushing and if the bastard died from his laughter he wouldn't give a fuck either.

"I'm sorry Marimo, but romantic? Really?" Sanji was still grinning and Zoro shrugged.

The cook took a moment to sober up before looking at him. "I don't know who came up with heats being romantic but they are full of shit. Sweaty, messy, hot, sure, but never romantic."

Zoro was getting impatient."Then that. Why not wait for it?"

Sanji looked at him and licked his lip lightly. "You really have no idea what you're getting yourself into, do you?"

Zoro just stared at him. Chopper had regaled him long enough with Omega biology. "You'll go into heat, be crazy with hormones and I'll take care of you. Easy." What was he an Alpha for if not for that?

Sanji looked at him like he was questioning his life choices. "Fucking hell, Marimo you are so simple. And you have no idea. I won't be any help to you in that state, I'll just want you. For days on end. And you'll not exactly be in your right mind either."

That didn't sound so bad, enough people would say that he never was in his right mind. The thought probably showed on his face because Sanji rubbed his face impatiently before getting up and waving for Zoro to do the same.

So he did and let the cook step in his space, take his hands and place them on his waist. "Since you are as fucking dense as always I'll try to explain, what I mean." Zoro had half a mind to cut him up for that long suffering tone, but zhe athmosphere around them was shifting when the cook opened his mouth again and he didn't want to interefere with what was happening. "I want you to know my body before we fuck out of our minds." The cook was guiding his hands now, down over his sides, slowly. And he understood that, he wanted to know every inch of that perfect skin, and have every part of him known too."So you'll make me feel even better than anyone else before.. and so we both don't do things that the other doesn't want." His voice was deep and calm, but filled with emotion reverbrating through Zoro, hands guiding his over strong legs, back over his ass. And Zoro felt the pertinence of that, knowing what made the cook tick, What he liked, what he disliked, what made him uncomfortable. Have him fall apart safely. 

"And I want our firsts to be memorable, not just scrambling for release because our bodies force us to." He looked Zoro in the eye, stroked his hands to the front of his thighs up his abs and chest. He got that, although he doubted that he could forget any of the first times they might have. "I want you to experience me wanting you, because all of me does and not just the part that needs to be filled so I don't go crazy." The sentiment warmed Zoro to the core. The cook hesitated for a second before determination came in his eye and he continued. "And I want to experience you wanting me the same way." It was such a tender admission, sweet and longing and Zoro could lay any worry to rest there. He wasn't capable of wanting the cook any other way than truly and completely.

But he didn't have the kinds of words to properly express that so there was really nothing to add. Instead Zoro kissed him and let his hands wander on their own. It was slow and languid, understanding and agreement in one. 

They separated again and Zoro looked in his eye "Why didn't you say so at once dumb ass?"

Sanji rolled his eye "Cause I forgot that you're a primitive and have no idea what you are doing."

Zoro growled at him. "Says the guy that happily takes my dick in his throat and then sits on my face. Knew enough then, didn't I?"

"Lucky shots." Sanji quipped and dodged the hit aimed for his side.

"Shit, Chopper will kill us if we fight already." The cook said and Zoro grunted in agreement, wound already stinging in pain.

"Later?" He asked the cook and Sanji nodded.

"Later." He agreed and grinned at Zoro. "The fight.. and other things." 

Zoro couldn't wait.

***

When he got Chopper's all clear a week later he really couldn't wait anymore.

Sanji had tortured him all the while with his mere presence, not to speak of suggestive brushes and words. And with his dumbness. He needed to kick Sanji's ass and fuck him into the wall, just the order of operations wasn't clear yet.

All the worse that Chopper was lecturing him on safe sex again, expressing vague concerns and not just letting him fucking leave.

When he could finally go he had a fucking pocket full of condoms and lube of all things, pressed on him by their reindeer doctor.

He tried not to think too much about getting to maybe use them. Not yet.

He found Sanji smoking on deck, posture relaxed but alert. Of course he was, he was ogling Nami and Robin as they were tanning. Fucking pervert.

He tapped into his annoyance at the cook easily, charged and pulled his swords for an attack.

The cook dodged easily and attempted to kick him overboard as he turned. But he blocked and felt a grin spread over his face. The same one that was on Sanji's. Holy hell had he missed this!

They spent the better part of an hour doing that, just chasing each other over the deck. They didn't even break anything. Apparently Nami was still annoyed with them because they both were suddenly rained on although it was an otherwise perfectly sunny day.

They both turned to her, sopping wet.

She stood there with her hands stemmed into her waist, huffing. "That's enough! Get dry and then do something QUIET to get your damn issues out of your systems!"

Sanji, the damn pushover, obeyed at once of course complete with lavish praise of the witch. But then he grabbed Zoro's arm and pulled him along, so Zoro was fine with that (although he did give Nami the finger when she stuck out her tongue at him.)

The cook dragged him to the bath room and if that wasn't the perfect opportunity...

The door hadn't properly closed yet before Zoro was on the cook like a flash, kissing him deeply, hungrily and having that same passion returned.

They both quickly got rid of each other's wet clothes, hands roaming over damp skin, touching, groping, kissing and licking skin and scars.

They were both hard quickly, rutting lazily against each other and Zoro pressing Sanji lightly into the tiled wall.

The cook was about to say something. Probably some filth that would throw Zoro for a loop again. But not today. He had prepared for this.

He grabbed the blond and in one move turned him around to face the wall where he caught himself with a surprised noise.

Then Zoro slid his hand into the blonde hair, stroked over that pale back, then over that tight ass, 

"I'm going to fuck you." He said, loud and clear like it wasn't obvious.

The cook shuddered and moaned shifting his stance a little to push that perfect ass out more. "Like that do you? Presenting for me?" Zoro whispered in his ear, melding his body over Sanji's hot back, dick rubbing against his ass. Mentally preparing for this had been worth it, he was clear headed and in control.

"Answer me." He commanded and the cook made a helpless noise.

"Yes, yes yes, god yes! I love it! I love showing you what I am!" He babbled and there went Zoro's clear headedness.

He swallowed, his mouth dry. "And what is that?" He asked and snaked his arms around the cook to his nipples, pinching them.

The cook moaned at that and writhed against him. "A slut.. an Omega whore desperate for your Alpha cock!"

God what a rush...

"If you want it so bad say it clearly." He growled, biting the cooks ear slightly. One hand still tormenting a pink nipple, the other snaking down between the cook's legs to test how wet he was. No need to worry on that front. "You're fucking dripping, you unabashed slut."

Sanji moaned at the insult and rubbed back against him. "Yeah, I'm dripping. 'M so ready for your cock. Please give it to me. Fill me up!"

Zoro didn't need a second invitation to do that, lined himself up and shoved inside in one long strong stroke, groaning at the perfect embrace. The noise his Omega made at that was barely human. "Oh fuck yes..." he murmured and Zoro grabbed his hair, pulling a bit. "What was that?"

Sanji was already starting to move against him, desperately fucking himself onto his dick, practically jerking Zoro off with his body. "'S so good. So big.. It's perfect. Now fucking move you..ahhh"

There was the naggy bastard for a second and Zoro had absolutely no problem with obliging him, pulling almost completely out before slamming back in multiple times, earning himself desperate pants and moans. Vaguely he remembered that he should pace himself or he wasn't going to last, but really he was out of control now.

And this angle wasn't deep enough he determined so he adjusted his stance a bit, pulling the cook with him and pushing his upper body down so his ass was sticking out even more. "You'll love that angle too. I'm sure. You're so desperate to present your tight little holes and have them stuffed" He said and started pounding away to the desperate moans and encouragements under him. It was a testament to the cook's strength that he kept pace with Zoro's rutting, meeting his thrusts. It also was going to make lasting even more difficult.

So Zoro held on to the lean frame all over until his hands settled on that perfect ass, kneeding the firm cheeks, pulling them apart, brushing his fingers over the entrance. Fucking like this was so convenient, but he couldn't help himself. He had been after that ass so long.

The cook let loose an obscene moan at being touched there. "Fuck, do that more! Spread me!" With fucking pleasure Zoro thought and thumbed over the hole again before bringing his fingers further down to get some of the dripping slick on them, because sorry Chopper but lube and condoms would require pulling out of that perfect tight heat and that just wasn't about to happen.

His slick fingers made warming up the cook's other hole a lot easier and soon he was knuckles deep with two fingers, spreading and scissoring them. Opening up the hole beautifully and pulling more and more animalistic noises from the cook.

"Damn, you're taking this so well too." He breathed and stopped himself from imagining why that might be. "Should fuck you in front of a mirror next time, show you how pathetic you get, all filled up by me."

The cook moaned loudly, a sound from deep within his body. He had to be close, rhythm faltered, noises incoherent, muscles pulled tight around Zoro's length, ready for release and pulse hammering through his walls into Zoro's body where they were connected.

There was just one last thing to finish this and Zoro reached around, grabbing the weeping dick and jerking only once to open the floodgates. He had to hold the cook upright when his knees buckled and he screamed through his orgasm. Now he definitely was jerking Zoro off with his aftershocks. And that was enough and Zoro was coming too, pouring himself into the tight heat, finally finally filling up his Omega properly.

He took a moment to settle himself before pulling out with a wet noise and lowering himself and the cook to the ground. They were both dirty and messy and breathing hard. 

Sanji turned to look at him, kissed him hard. "Damn, Marimo. You been practicing?" He asked and Zoro was shaking his head with a chuckle. "Nah. Was easy when I wrapped my head around just how perverted you are." In truth it had been no such thing and he had practiced in front of a mirror to say those and similar things with a straight face. Had spent hours working through the dissonance of wanting to call Sanji every name in the book while loving him desperately.

Sanji looked like he wanted to kick him for the comment but was too boneless right then to do it.

"I should probably run us a bath." Zoro remembered then and leaned the cook against the wall, a bit further than where they had made a mess of it and Sanji didn't protest just closed his eyes lazily, contently.

So he ran that bath and then settled the cook into the warm water before joining.

His blonde made a pleased sound at the heat of the water. "Damn, I'm gonna feel that tomorrow." It didn't sound like a complaint so Zoro just leaned back into the water with a grin. 

Sanji was watching him again with a lazy gaze. "You took to degrading me fast." He noted with a smirk and Zoro shrugged. "Not like I don't insult you everyday anyway." And to get those moans and faces Zoro was sure he would do worse. 

The cook chuckled a bit and leaned his head back.

Zoro watched him for a moment before reaching out and pulling him slightly. Sanji got the hint and manouvered until his back was bracing against the swordsman who grabbed a sponge and started wiping down the cook. His reward was happy humming and nice shudders when he brushed sensitive areas.

"You're great. You know that right?" Zoro murmured in his ear. It was uncharacteristic for him, but he felt like it was right to say it after saying everything else he had.

Sanji let go of a small happy sigh at that and nodded with an affirmative hum.

But damn Zoro's curiosity "Was that the first you wanted?" He asked the cook who seemed to take a moment to come back to himself. "Better." He just murmured and sunk deeper into Zoro, leaving the swordsman to clean him up and then soaking a bit more while Zoro cleaned the mess they had made.

Afterwards he helped the cook dry off and the blonde seemed to wake from his daze enough to be able to prepare dinner.

All the better, Zoro was starving.

But when he watched the thoroughly relaxed back of the cook and took a last look at the bath that he had cleaned again properly his heart swelled with Alpha pride. He had done well, and when the cook had his heat he would do just as good.

***

Zoro woke up and the world was _wrong_ instantly. The room was chock full of Sanji's perfect, perfect pre heat scent, but the damn bastard wasn't there. Why was he not there? His Omega would need him soon to be helped through the heat (to be marked and claimed and filled to the brim) and yet he'd gone somewhere alone.

He needed to be with his Omega, now! So he practically jumped from the bed and stumbled out of the bunk room following the lovely scent first to the kitchen where preparations for breakfast were laid out. Fucking hell his Omega was the most perfect, always thinking of everyone that way. 

But he wasn't there so Zoro trailed the scent further over the ship meeting Chopper on the way who seemed pissed as he mumbled about having warned the cook that this might happen.

Zoro filed that under 'later' and followed the trail all the way to one of the storage rooms under deck. He practically threw the door open and was flooded with even more scent. And in the middle of the room was the cook, stood next to a bed that was fucking loaded with pillows and blankets. A fucking nest.

"Hi..." the blonde said almost shyly, blue iris tiny around black but eyes still clear. Zoro slammed the door closed behind him, strode into the room and pulled his Omega into him, kissing the beautiful man desperately.

Take him, claim him, own him it went in his head, a wave of mine, mine, mine washing over him.

Sanji made a wonderful noise and belatedly Zoro realised that he was probably excuding pheromones like crazy.

The cook didn't seem to mind and just leaned his head against Zoro's shoulder, scenting him with a deep groan.

The swordsman returned the favour and in the very back of his mind where sanity had not yet drowned in lust he figured that he was already lost, and might not do so well with the heat after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What can I say, I'm a pervert and if you made it this far so are you and have no right to judge me :)
> 
> Hope you had as much fun reading as I had writing :)


	10. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sanji is an Omega
> 
> Zoro didn't know how much his heat would affect him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh we are getting close to the end here too.
> 
> This story is really fun to write.
> 
> I hope my dear readers are enjoying themselves as well and present to you this new chapter.
> 
> Naturally in a heat chapter there is sex so the biology warning still applies.
> 
> Have fun my dear pervs!

The cook was unusually pliable in his arms as they kissed, hands wandering over hard planes. Both their voices already tilting into soft pants.

He had to center himself. Concentrate. The cook would be his. He would make sure of it, but not yet. He had to make this comfortable for him first.

With effort he seperated from the cook, getting a soft unhappy noise in return that almost broke his heart.

His Omega was looking at him with hooded eyes, arms slung around his neck. "Don't pull away from me you bastard..." he whined and Zoro almost laughed. Relief flooded him, heat or no, his cook was still in there.

"Yah, quit your yappin, I'm here." He soothed and Sanji nosed along his jaw. "Mhhm.. you are.. you really, really are." There was a bit of disbelief in his voice, insecurity. He sounded vulnerable, like his walls had crumbled down and Zoro was glimpsing the raw parts he knew were somewhere under the cursing and the smoking.

He felt honored and in a sudden stroke of sentimentality brushed Sanji's bangs back, taking in the rare sight of both blue eyes and curly eyebrows swung in the same direction.

He met the blue gaze, open like the sea but imbued with fire. "Can you.." why was he so damn embarassed to ask? "Can I see you like this today?" He asked and the cook blinked lazily, apparently further along than he'd been during The Incident. Zoro didn't have time to stop and wonder at why things were happening so fast, and he didn't care to either.

Then the mischievious smile he knew so well spread over thin lips and the cook lovingly pulled his hands back over Zoro's shoulders onto his own body, gliding one down, down to his impossibly long legs and into his pocket while the other stroked up and into his hair, securing and holding the strands Zoro had pushed back. The other hand travelled up slowly, following with a hairtie and in one soft movement the hair was out of the way, leaving the cook absolutely edible.

"Do you like it?" He asked and there was no shyness in it when he put his hands on Zoro's chest again.

There were no words and Zoro only just resisted diving in for more kisses so he nodded in confirmation. How was the cook so damn _beautiful_?

"I'm glad..." the blonde breathed against his ear and damn it was so hard to focus. There were just single words in his head. Bits and pieces of instructions from Chopper and Robin or even Sanji. Water... yes he would need water. Cook was going to dehydrate, and food, snacks. They would be holed up so long. Something to clean off in between, maybe? Sanji would appreciate it, prissy as he was.

"Earth to Marimo!" The cook suddenly broke into his thoughts, looking a little hazy but also pissed. "Going into heat here, I NEED you!"

Zoro swallowed and took Sanji's head into his hands. It was easier like this, focusing if Sanji wasn't completely gone yet. "I want to take care of you, what do you need?"

The look he got for that could only be described as incredulous. " I NEED you to fuck me into that bed, then into that wall and then on the floor!"

Okay stupidly phrased question. But god.. how he wanted to do that, have the cook all over this room, all the ways. Because that Omega was his, his alone and he would mark him, claim him for the whole world to see. Everyone would know that this Omega had given himself to him. Had chosen him.

But he couldn't give in yet. "Water, food. Anything else?" He bit out and Sanji groaned in annoyance. "I don't care. I just want YOU!" And his hands, his strong nimble hands were already impatienly roaming Zoro's naked chest wandering down to his pants, and by god if Sanji touched him below the waist he'd be a goner, so he did the only thing he could think of. He summoned the Alpha in him and commanded. "Stop that!" 

And the cook did, eyes lighting up at being commanded but then scowl settling in because he was still Sanji and Sanji didn't just do as he was told.

Zoro held his breath for a few moments, clearing his head the tiniest bit of the pre heat scent around them before he spoke. "I'll get some things to make you more comfortable. You wait here."

Sanji didn't look very pleased at that and his long fingers buried themselves in Zoro's arms. "No." He simply said and there was so much defiance in there. 

"Yes." Zoro repeated and tried to put more weight of his alpha voice behind the command.

Sanji did actually let him go, but only with a hurt whimper. "Please don't go again like last time... I was bad then, but I'll be good this time. I'll be really good!" He was babbling and shit, that heat alone must have been terrible to leave Sanji so raw.

Zoro just wanted to make it better but he had to do this. "No, no.. I'll be back in minutes. I swear!"

The cook was hugging himself protectively. "You promise? You'll come back?" And how the damn bastard could go from being demanding to vulnerable so fast was going to give Zoro whiplash.

So he nodded and dove in for one last reassuring kiss before he lost his mind and then slipped out of the room. Instincts screaming at him that he was a damn fool.

His Omega was right there, waiting for him, alone and sad and he was going the other way. It actually physically hurt and it took all of his reasoning to remember that Sanji was safe where he was. That noone else could swoop in and lay their filthy hands on him. Never again. And that he would need what Zoro was about to get.

He practically flew into the kitchen, barely registering his crew being engaged in breakfast and whatever they were yammering on about. There were more important things.

Luckily they seemed to understand that too. Noone regaled him with petty concerns or questions. Instead there was a flurry of different hands, just loading his arms with stuff.

He didn't even check what everything was. He trusted them to have the cook's best interest at heart and to be more lucid than he currently was.

With his arms full he darted back again at top speed, desperately throwing himself through that door and just dropping his price on the ground before kicking the door shut behind him.

The cook was still there, curled up between the blankets but shot up with emotion shining in his eye as he heard the door.

He looked rough, like he had doubted Zoro and it welled up all sorts of pain within him. He didn't give the cook a chance to get up, crossed the room in two strides and was on the bed almost at once, kissing that fucker hungrily.

Mine! His brain helpfully supplied, screamed.

He stroked over that lithe body and felt the unusual warmth radiate of the skin. The very very naked skin. 

He stroked further down and there were no pants either. Sanji mumbled against his mouth and he separated the tiniest bit. "I'm burning up. Was too much.." he said and Zoro swallowed. They were about to hit peak heat and he felt out of his depth.

"I'm here now and not going anywhere." He said because it seemed the only plausible thing to say.

The cook smiled at him, both eyes radiant and burning up with lust before he was kissed again. "You'll be so good to me..." he breathed against Zoro's earring. No filth to throw him, no manipulation. Just this earnest belief. 

"Fuck." Zoro said out loud. Sanji was so gone. "Mhhm, yes please." But not completely, damn.

His mouth was dry and suddenly he didn't know what to do. Lucky then that Sanji's instincts seemed intact and the cook just grabbed him and pulled him onto himself, wasting absolutely no time in letting his hands wander down and finally getting rid of Zoro's pants, freeing his erection.

He couldn't help slightly rutting against the cooks thigh which got him an appreciative moan.

He let his own hands go on discovery stroking the flushed skin under him, remapping all the perfect muscles he'd felt before until his fingers found the source of the heady scent of arousal spreading all over the room. Sanji gave him a helplessly aroused gasp and he marvelled at the wet heat, more than there had ever been before and still increasing. "Holy shit..." he breathed and the cook whined under him. "I'm ready! C'mon, stop stalling and... ahhhh!" Zoro's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he sheathed himself all the way without further warning. The moans under him were wonderful, and when he looked down to take in the sight, the cooks blue eyes were crunched shut and his mouth hanging open.

He started moving, gliding in and out of the perfect heat under him, taking in all the little noises coming his way. Bending down he kissed the cook's chest, his neck, his cheeks, his stupid curlybrows before locking mouths with the man.

The scent around them had changed. It was thick and sweet and smothering Zoro's mind.

But he couldn't even care as he kept moving against the cook, for once really doing most of the work while his Omega had his hands clawed behind his neck, and was taking what he had to offer.

He tried to lean back to get a different angle but of course the cook didn't let go, forcing him to drag him along until the blond was seated in his lap, legs crossed behind Zoro and groaning happily at the new angle. "Fuck, that feels so good!" he murmured and Zoro would blush at that if he wasn't already red all over.

But with that compliment thrown into the room he just had to show off and Sanji didn't seem like he was about to move on his own. So he kissed his cook, grabbed him by the waist and started just moving him up and down on his dick to meet his own thrusts. It wasn't very difficult to do. Sanji was heavier than he looked, but nothing against what Zoro liked to lug around for warm up.

But difficult or no, Sanji seemed to be enjoying himself, panting into his shoulder and just letting himself be manhandled, but still doing that thing were he tightened all the muscles down below, squeezing Zoro's dick rhythmically.

He loved it when the damn cook did that

Sanji knew it too and didn't stop, nosing along his jaw again mouth playing with his piercings. Damn bastard knew how sensitive that place was. 

He should have known that the cook would use the freedom he got from not having to move on his own to torment him. And that's exactly what he did, moaning into his ear, grabbing into the muscles of his arms, shoulders, neck and back exactly the way he liked, scratching him just a little bit, enough to really show how much he was enjoying himself.

If his Omega was still lucid enough to coordinate that sort of attack that was a problem however. An issue that had to be rectified at once. So the swordsman took a breath and then started to pound into the cook at a faster pace, moving him accordingly and soaking up the completely messy and uncontrolled moaning and scrambling of hands until his blonde was holding onto his neck for dear life. Zoro grinned into himself and set an even more brutal pace angling into every spot he had learned drove his Omega wild. Nipping at Sanji's neck the way he liked, just a graze of teeth that brought promise of a real bite, a mark to stay and be seen. 

The effect was instanteneous and suddenly he was hugged even harder by strong arms, shivering and shaking all around him and his dick fucking smothered by the cook's walls clenching, a mess between them.

Holy hell, the cook just came. Not that that seemed to particurly sate him. He stayed exactly where he was, moving of his own accord even through his after shocks and just licking his lips as he leaned back the tiniest bit. The blue in his eyes was practically gone, as was the twinkle. Only fire remained, blazing wild and hungry.

He kissed Zoro then passionately, greedily, like a man starving. Like it just wasn't enough. And Zoro returned the sentiment and the kiss with the same neediness.

When they broke apart Sanji was panting. "I need your fucking knot. NOW." He said and made Zoro groan. Hell if that wasn't the most fantastic idea. The cook's already tight walls being spread even more to accomodate his knot, locking them together while he pumped his seed into that willing body.

He lifted the cook off himself and sat him on the bed. "Then present for me." He commanded and now Sanji was eagerly doing what he was told, turned around at top speed, head and shoulders down on the bed, knees under him and ass up in the air, and his fucking hands on his own ass cheeks spreading them to properly present everything he had to offer.

Fucking hell, was Zoro about to take that offer, so he wasted no time and slid his length into the wet heat again, feeling like he was welcomed home when the cook moaned his name. 

He grabbed the cooks wrists, taking care not to twist them unnaturally or grab too tightly, and used them as additional leverage when he began moving, settling into a punishing rhythm almost instantly. Judging from the sounds under him that was very welcome and he groaned at the feeling bubbling up within him. He wasn't going to be long now and the cook moaned louder, probably feeling the beginnings of Zoro's knot catching at his entrance. "Like that, do you?" Zoro panted and the cook made a helpless but agreeing noise "That'll be in you soon. And your fucking tight Omega hole will take it all. You'll like that even more." And that was such a great fucking thought. "You'll take everything, all my cum and it'll be locked in you." He was starting to lose his rhythm and the cook wasn't coherent anymore. "You'll be so full... damn... so full of me." With one last thrust he was done, his knot slipping in and expanding rapidly, pulling a moan so high pitched it might as well have been a scream and a second orgasm from the blonde. He himself was coming hard and the feeling of walls spasming around his knot was more than he could have dreamed. He came long and hard, groaning deeply and feeling how wave after wave pumped into the cook's body, was milked into it by the pulsing of Sanji's orgasm and after shocks.

Some very very hazy part of him wondered if he could get the cook pregnant despite the birth control he knew Sanji was on. Oddly in that second it didn't sound off putting, it sounded amazing even. Pumping the cook full of his pups, claiming him even more than he had so far.

The next second as he was coming down a bit and laid himself behind Sanji to make them both more comfortable the very concept seemed patently absurd.

So he didn't dwell on it and kissed the cook's neck instead. Enjoyed the pleased hum that got him.

They were locked together now and he could feel Sanji nodding off into a nap, which sounded like an amazing idea. So he tried to do the same, but was rudely jostled by Sanji knocking on the back of his head. Bastard. 

"What?" He grumbled in irritation.

He couldn't see Sanji's face of course, but all the lines of his back suggested annoyance when he tapped his fingers into the side of his throat demandingly.

Zoro felt himself actually blush. Which was both weird and an achievement considering his current position.

He had thought about it of course, and both Sanji and he had off handedly commented about claiming before. But that the cook really wanted that now still surprised him.

First because they hadn't really discussed the whole thing in detail yet, and Sanji usually insisted on talking about shit and second because running around with a permanent mark would publicly out the cook as both an Omega and bonded.

"You sure?" Zoro asked and stared at the spot where long fingers were still resting. He just had to sink his teeth in there and everyone would see that the cook was taken. It would put all other Alphas on notice not to get too close. That was so tempting.

"Do it." The cook said and he sounded clear headed enough, but still. Thinking with the cloying heat scent around them was hard and he couldn't be sure that the cook was in his right mind to consent to something so permanent and far reaching.

But still, it was just a little bite, and so close too...

No, he had to stay in control here so he buried his face in the cook's back. "After your heat. If you still want it then."

The groan the cook gave him was the epitome of frustration. "Damn Marimo, you're killing me. Do you have any idea how long I waited for this?"

He didn't really and this admission was driving him just a little nuts, but he would stay strong here. He wouldn't have any regrets after this heat, even if that meant disappointing the cook in this one instance.

"After your heat." He repeated and the cook huffed before settling back down and letting himself be wrapped in one of the many blankets on the bed.

It didn't take long for him to finally really fall asleep this time and Zoro could feel himself drift in and out of his own nap too until his knot was down enough to separate from his Omega and get up. 

Right. He probably should do some things to prepare for round two. He took a moment to look around the room and realise that he didn't know it. It was a god send however and when he saw the second door and found the tiny bathroom on the other side he realised that that had to be the work of Franky and Usopp. Fuck, he owed them so damn much. He could get the cook cleaned up under the shower and neither of them would have to awkwardly shuffle across the ship to take a piss. 

Next he inspected the stuff he had brought back from the kitchen. All sort of salty and sweet snacks, most of them either pickled or dry so they wouldn't turn bad. A hunk of meat still on its bone, probably a gift from their captain. Large cola bottles thoughtfully filled with water... had they prepared this? 

And a small bag with condoms, lube (not that Zoro thought he was going to need it) as well as different salves and balms for cuts (or scratches) bruises and soreness. Chopper definitely had prepared for this.

Also a shitload of towels. He was so grateful that he might burst. But he still had things to do, so he grabbed a towel, got it wet in the bathroom and set to work cleaning the cook who was making appreciative noises and already heating up again. 

He was just finished when the cook woke up and grabbed for him with quick fingers, but he slipped away and got a bottle of water first, thrusting it into the cooks grabby hands.

Blue eyes looked at him without understanding and he growled. "Drink that, then we can go on."

He seemed to get that, uncapped the bottle and started gulping down the fluid enthusiastically before throwing the -thankfully plastic- bottle behind him without a care and pulling Zoro into himself flooding the room with his scent all over again and making Zoro's conciousness all hazy.

What followed were many rounds of orgasms in various positions and against various surfaces, including in the tiny shower when Zoro was actually trying to clean the cook, interrupted by naps and hastily gulped down water and snacks.

Time started taking on a strange quality. Zoro couldn't have said if two hours had gone past or three weeks and he didn't really have an overview about how often either had them had come, although he wondered where he was still pulling anything from, even though he had gotten the cook off with his mouth more than once in the meantime.

Not that it really mattered. The cook seemed well pleased when he wasn't currently demanding attention so that had to be good enough.

And when he finally woke up and didn't have Sanji already in his face kissing him or poking him with his erection to go another round, but heard the shower, he was pretty sure that this heat at least was over.

He stayed there for another moment. Looking at the ceiling and thinking about what probably had been the last three days or so. He looked around at the bottles and snack packages strewn about and the messy blankets and towels. Nope. Not in the mood for clean up.

Just as he was about to close his eyes again the cook came out of the bath room, towel around his hips and hair still damp. He had his bangs in place again, and Zoro surpressed his disappointment at that fact.

In any case he sat up to meet the cook who looked just the tiniest bit awkward standing there in the mess they had made of the room. "Morning." Zoro offered, got up without bothering to cover his nakedness and walked over to the cook, scratching an itchy spot on his ass and earning himself a scowl. "And welcome back yah priss." He added for good measure. Grinning at Sanji's bothered expression.

"You reek and are as disgusting as usual." Sanji said in greeting, but not with a lot of bite. No tension then. That was good.

Zoro grinned and when he leaned in for a kiss actually got it, hah, reeking and disgusting his ass.

"Seriously, you should shower." Sanji said against his lips but had his hands around his neck, keeping him in place.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't get your panties in a bunch." He could practically feel the annoyance radiate of the cook and grinned. He had really missed this. "You can be such an ass sometimes." The blonde complained. Then sighed.

"I admit though, you are a pretty good Alpha in a heat. I'm hydrated, not starving, wasn't completely flithy and everything seems to be perfectly intact. I'm not even sore." The cook said and looked him in the eye with warmth and a smile hidden in that impossible blue.

The praise went down like honey and he took another kiss. He had done well after all. And he'd have to thank the others for helping. The cook returned his kiss sweetly and they stayed like that for another moment.

"See, nothing romantic about it." The cook said with a smirk and Zoro wasn't about to tell him that from where he was standing this experience had been the most intimate, vulnerable and honoring he'd ever had. 

Maybe for an Omega his heat was mostly sweat and sex, but for him as an Alpha it had been the ultimate show of trust. He didn't know if that was romantic, but it damn well meant a whole lot to him. Still Sanji had been right about something.

"I'm glad it wasn't our first." That seemed like a fine compromise to him, and it was the truth. He was pretty sure that he would have fucked up badly if he didn't have some experience to go off.

Sanji grinned at him cheerfully. "You did really well. Thank you." He sounded so earnest and then Zoro was kissed again. When Sanji leaned back again he was blushing and looking a bit nervous. "Just one more thing.. "

Zoro looked at him questioningly and when the cook was actually looking shy as he presented his neck, brushing his hair out of the way and laying his second eye open while he was at it, he felt his whole face light up with heat. Was this really happening?

Oh god, Sanji looked at him with both impossibly blue eyes and an incredibly open and vulnerable expression before tapping two of his long fingers against his throat once again. It was an invitation. A completely lucid invitation to claim him.

He was humbled and speechless and Sanji bit his lip a little before speaking. "It's after my heat. And I still want it."

It was happening and he took that step forward so they were flush and placed his mouth were nimble fingers had been, hugging his Omega close. He felt long arms wrap around him. And for a second he wondered about the consequences, if Sanji really wanted to be outed, if he wouldn't change his mind.

"Come on, Marimo. I waited long enough." The cook soothed like he could read his mind. And of course, Sanji was a grown man, he could make his own decisions. And that he did, putting his hand into Zoro's hair and pushing that last bit encouragingly and then Zoro was biting down, breaking the tender skin and earning himself a soft moan. 

They were both flooded in sweet scent and when Zoro let go he felt so incredibly happy that it was ridiculous. Sanji was a bit dazed when he looked at him but smiled after a second, just as happily and leaned their foreheads together.

They stood there for another moment before Sanji pulled back and cleared his throat. "I need to get dressed, feed a crew and assess the damage to my kitchen and you still need that shower." He said and Zoro nodded.

"Later?" He asked and drank up the grin he got in return. "Later." Sanji confirmed before finally letting go and slipping out of the door.

Zoro looked after him for a moment before getting a move on. He really did need that shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, I checked. I'm still a perv. This is definite proof of it.
> 
> Also I thought I was maybe a bit hasty with Chapter 9 and went back for some changes to improve flow and stuff for those who are interested. No major changes though and the warning for Omega biology still applies.
> 
> Please remember that I literally live for comments and if you liked please let me know!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed and meet you at the epilogue!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> Kudos and comments give me life :)


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